Dio's Dimensional Journey
by Ashzaroth
Summary: As a consequence of releasing a Cosmic Horror from its prison, Dio-formerly known as Alex- has now been made into said Horror's personal entertainment. Transported into various fantasy worlds, Dio must either survive and conquer, or be crushed by the forces that prey on humanity. OC, and AU universes.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors note:**

 **Well, this is the first story I'm writing. A quick basis for it is a trans-dimensional character that has a god of chaos as his patron. The first world on the list will be fable, and then I will move on to harry potter. Any worlds after that are up for debate. Any questions, feel free to ask, I will answer anything as long as no spoilers are asked for. Please leave a review!**

"Speech"= A normal conversation

" _Speech_ "= Thoughts

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or Fable; they belong to JK Rowling and Microsoft respectively. I only own Dio, and I make no money off of this story.

-Skip-Skip-Skip-Skip-

The last thing I expected to happen today was to release a cosmic horror who then took a morbid fascination with me. I found a locked box in the things that my dead grandparents left me. There was no mention of it in my grandparents will, nor did there seem to be a way to unlock it. So I resorted to the easiest way to open anything: bash it with a hammer. I expected there to be some obscure eastern relic inside, as my grandparents were collectors. What I didn't expect was for a black smoke to pour out and engulf me. That's how I ended up in this strange bar; facing a child formed….something. There was no stable form to see, it seemed to flicker between forms constantly.

"I have to say Mr. Williams" the creature said, "You're an interesting individual. You not only found my prison, but you even managed to open it. And without the key! You… have no idea how truly impressive that is."

Its voice was strange; it seemed to fluctuate as if various voices were speaking at the same time, from both genders. I stayed silent, as I wasn't sure what to say. Logic screamed all of this was an 'Acid Trip' at me, yet all my senses tell me this place…whatever it was, is real. And I've never done drugs. This thing in front of me doesn't seem to be hostile, so I may as well play along.

"Why am I here," I asked it.

"Why we're here so I can thank you of course! I've been trapped in that infernal contraption for centuries! I can sympathize with what genies must go through, the poor chaps. Although I'm sure they can modify their humble abodes. Although, not eating in a few centuries has left me puckish. Jarvis! Bring Mr. Williams and I some pancakes. You must try these pancakes willy-boy, they are divine."

I turned and stared behind the counter at what had to be the strangest person I've seen. The guy was old, yet he didn't look feeble. On the contrary, he held himself in a way that radiated power. Yet his face was calm, eerily so. He seemed to grab something under the counter, and pulled out two plates stacked with pancakes. Jarvis brought them over to us, and set down a jar of Aunt Jemimas syrup. The being next to me immediately began to pour syrup all over its pancakes, and shoveled the, into its mouth with the ferocity of a starving man. An Understandable reaction really, given how long it said it was trapped.

"You should really try these. Best pancakes in the seven galaxies."

I froze at that. Seven galaxies? I have no reason to believe what this creature is saying, yet I can't really argue against it. "May as well not worry about it,' I thought. "There isn't anything I can do about it at the moment. But free pancakes? Why not. I doubt they'll kill me." On trying them though, my thoughts shut down. These…..are…divine. A slight crunchy outside, with a soft inside. The syrup was sweet, and it has hints of mango and vanilla, my favorite flavors. They were perfect. Too perfect.

"These aren't real, are they," I asked it.

It smiled, and I swear I could see miniature galaxies inside it mouth. 'Let's ignore that, for sanity's sake.'

"No, no they aren't. None of this is. I'm stimulating all your senses, while projecting this entire place inside your mind. What tipped you off?"

"I tasted my mango and vanilla, two flavors I love separately but taste horrible together. Trust me, I've experimented. But I digress, what exactly is the point of all this? Why go through all this trouble?"

I'm surprised at how calm I was taking all this. While I'm not the easiest person to surprise, I can easily say this entire experience is well out of the ballpark of 'Normal.'

"You're so calm, Mr. Williams, because I'm keeping you calm. You humans have a bad habit of running like headless chickens at a minor incident like this. It's sad but true. And it is much easier on me if we talk this out like civilized beings. And before you ask, no, I'm not reading your mind, we're IN your mind. There isn't anything you can hide from me here. On that same note, I would appreciate if you would cease to refer to me as a thing. It's degrading. Call me…..Rover. It's what I am, a traveler between dimensions. True names are powerful constructs after all. As for why we're here, it's simple; you released me from my prison a few centuries early, and I'm here to reward you.'

I frowned at that. A reward from a higher being usually resorts in a messy end. However, Rover seemed to disregard my worries, and turned to face me while setting a small pile of cards on the counter.

"Now now, no need to worry. I have the perfect reward in mind for you; a life free from mediocrity! There are entire multiverses out there, so what better reward than to allow you to explore them. Not only that. But ill also give you a boost to give you an edge."

That…that sounded pretty cool actually. I'll admit I've spent quite a bit of time daydreaming about fantasy lands, or replacing characters in books I've read. This was like an answer to my deepest desires.

"There must be a catch" I asked.

"Ahhh, I do so love the smart ones. Only one snag really," he replied. The universe you go to will be completely random. And while I won't needlessly interfere wherever you end up, I'll do my best to make sure you don't die too soon. You're my newest source of entertainment after all."

I'm not sure how I felt about that. He says he won't interfere, so there shouldn't be an issue. And it isn't like there's any reason to not accept. Normal life is pretty empty compared to this all.

"And if I refuse? If I decide I don't want to become your toy?"

He just smirked at me. "You don't have a choice in this, Mr. Williams. Like I previously mentioned, you're currently my only source of entertainment, and I won't allow you to slip through my fingers. Now, we're wasting time, so let's get started." He then lined up the cards next to each other. "Pick a card, any card! And let's proceed down the rabbit hole.'

That seems like an apt description, if a tad foreboding. I closed my eyes and selected one card, but before I could look at it, it was taken away.

"An interesting choice. There's quite a lot of mischief that you can get into here. I won't spoil the surprise, so just sit back and relax. I have to modify both your soul and body to enhance you."

I blanched at that. "You're going to modify….my soul?"

Rover chuckled at that. "Don't lose your head there poppet. Human souls are simple to modify, and all I will be doing is adding structures that already exist in other universes. So, are you ready?"

As ready as I will ever be," I replied. I've already made a decision, and I'd rather not piss Rover off if possible.

"Good. Now just relax, you'll only feel pain for a second. The next time you wake up, you'll be in a brand new life."

As he said that, a bright light seemed to shine from him, and I felt excruciating pain course all over my body. Before I could react to it though, I passed out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note:**

 **The last chapter felt rushed to me, but I wanted to get to the actual story. There will be a backstory for both Rover and Alex Williams (my character's name.) That name won't ever be used after this chapter. The next few chapters will be focused on the Fable universe, and My OC will 'power up' there, and then I'll move on to Harry Potter. There will be one time skip of a few years, but details on what happened will be given.**

"Speech"= A normal conversation

" _Speech_ "= Thoughts

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or Fable; they belong to JK Rowling and Microsoft respectively. I only own Dio, and I make no money off of this story.

-Skip-Skip-Skip-Skip-

The first sense that returned when I woke up was my sense of smell. The stench of smoke was overbearing in its intensity, and breathing was difficult. I could hear the crackle of fire, and feel its heat on my skin. I tried to open my eyes, but the brightness forced me to close them. For whatever reason, my entire body felt heavy and I was unable to move a single muscle, but I could at least breathe. It was then that the memories of what Rover said rushed back, and it seemed he somehow paralyzed me. Considering I was knocked out, and my current situation, I can assume that I'm in the new universe I chose. While I couldn't smile, the sheer joy made my chest feel like it would burst. I tried to struggle against whatever was holding in my excitement, but it was useless. I was finally given an end to a dull life of mediocrity. I tried to reason that watching me lay here wouldn't be entertaining to Rover, but patience was a luxury I didn't have much of at the moment.

I opened my eyes as they adjusted to the brightness, and I was able to see where I was. The ground of the forest clearing I was in was scorched and blackened, and small fires dotted the area. However, what drew my attention was the person across the clearing from me. He looked old, but his bald head drew attention to the strange tattoo on his forehead. He was clad in a blue and gold coat, and he was staring straight at me. He seemed to have a palpable glow of power around him, and his eyes shined with barely restrained power. His appearance seemed eerily familiar, but for the life of me I couldn't match his face to a name. It's obvious he was prepared to attack me if I showed any hostility. I'm not sure if I feel happy that I can't move now.

"Ah," he said, "I see you're awake. Would you mind telling me exactly what you're doing in these woods? We don't exactly get many visitors at the guild, and none of them have ever made quite the…entrance you have."

I wanted to respond to him, but I was still paralyzed. I hope he doesn't attack me. I'm a sitting duck here, and I can't even run. The old man seemed to take me not responding as being deliberately uncooperative, and got annoyed. "

"No response? No, you've yet to move at all. Could it be you're unable to move?"

I blinked twice at that hoping he would catch my signal, which he seemed to do. He approached me, but he remained cautious and continued to inspect me. "I see you understand me," he said. "That will make all this easier. It would be a waste of my time to attempt to draw anything out of you like this. Neither I nor the guild has been attacked, so I doubt this has been some form of ambush or distraction. I'll take you to the guild, where you'll tell me exactly how you arrived here. I will warn you that if you show a sign of hostile actions, I'll kill you."

I was startled at that, but calmed down and analyzed what he said. I seem to have crashed near some sort of institution, and he was sent to investigate. As long as I'm not hostile, I won't be attacked. This all reeked of too many coincidences, so Rover was probably pulling some strings to arrange this. That thought made me feel oddly relieved. Rover seemed to have an interest in me, so I doubt he would intentionally harm me. This old dude in front of me seemed reasonable, so that only supported my theory. There must have be something wrong with me, since some kind of cosmic horror has turned my life on its axis, and I'm not worried.

With that thought, I could feel it becoming harder to stay awake. Movement behind a par of trees showed Rover waving at me, mouthing the word 'enjoy' at me. And with that, I fell asleep.

-Skip-Skip-Skip-Skip-

When I woke up again, the first thing I noticed was how tired I felt. It was as if I ran an entire marathon with my whole body. At the same time, I felt full of energy but it felt…off. But there are more important things to focus on, such as where in the name of pancakes I am. The bed I'm on is lumpy and uncomfortable, nothing like a modern bed. The room I'm in is also small, and Spartan in its decoration. The only other furniture is a bookcase, with books so packed in it that it seemed as if it would burst at any moment. The clothes I have on I've never seen before, as they were a dull ugly brown, and had various rips and tears on them. There is no door, just a hole in the wall. I could hear people talking coming from outside the room, and seeing as there aren't any instructions as to what I'm supposed to do, I headed towards them.

The group of people I found there was…diverse in a word. The most noticeable person there was a dark skinned individual clad in massive golden armor. He was easily seven feet tall, and towered over everyone else here. He held a look that screamed 'I'm better than you,' and considering he looked like he could snap me in half with a single hand, I wasn't going to argue against that. There was a small girl sitting beside him that looked so similar to him, they had to be family.

The next individual was easily the strangest person I've ever seen, Rover notwithstanding. He had a tattoo that started off as a dot on his forehead, and then curved into lines that framed down his cheeks. They glowed blue, and gave him a look that blared "Wizard.' However, his eyes were dead, and he looked like the sort of person that was resigned to going through life simply going through the paces. He was dressed in an outfit similar to the old guy from before, but his coat was purple instead. His hair was slicked back, and was snow white.

The final occupant of the room was the man who found me back in the forest. All four individuals turned and stared at me as I walked in, and no one said anything. It created an awkward atmosphere that began to grow unbearable.

"So," the man with white hair said, "it seems our little sneak decided to grace us with his presence. Are you ready to co-operate now? Weaver here was kind enough to bring you here, and vouched for you. It's the only reason you aren't in chains at the moment heading towards an execution."

That worried me, but I reminded myself I only needed to have a reliable story, and Rover should take care of the rest. Standing here before all of these individuals, I knew where I was. How could I not? Maze, Weaver, and Thunder are some of the distinguished heroes of the Fable game series. And since the first game was my favorite of all, I'm very excited about what's to come. But for now I shouldn't look too eager, they may misunderstand that.

"Now maze," the man I now knew was Weaver said, "This young lad here just woke up from what I'm certain was a traumatic experience. He was suffering from Will depletion, and my examinations showed me he is suffering from a mild case of amnesia."

"To begin with young lad, could you tell us what your name is?"

I was about to tell him it was Alex Williams, but I stopped and remembered what Rover said in out last conversations; "True names are powerful constructs after all." I remembered watching in cheesy shows how the true name of a being, usually a demon, was used to bind them. While I doubt that could happen, I realized something else. A name is more than a random assortment of letters. It's used to define a person, and it carries an entire existence with it. Even if I'm the only one who would know the baggage that came with my name, this was a literal chance for me to reinvent myself into the person I wanted to become.

I took what I believed a thoughtful expression was, and began to think. The others in the room didn't interrupt, seeming to believe Wavers account of my amnesia. I may as well play the part. I began to think of what name I could use. A name that wasn't generic, that sounded cool and mysterious. A name I've always liked was Dio, as in Dio Chrysostom. But what last name could really go along with that? But then again, it didn't have to be a generic last name either. It was then that I remembered a king Dio was famous for writing to.

"I believe," I started off slowly, "that my name is Trajan. Dio Trajan. It's the only name that comes to mind. Do any of you know anyone by that name?" As they all shook their heads, I mentally smirked. The chance of anyone having either of those names is low.

"No," Weaver replied, "That isn't a name I've ever heard."

"Nor have I," said Maze. "However it could easily be an alias meant to deceive us. Are you sure he has amnesia Weaver?"

"I'm completely sure. His case is almost textbook in definition. My examinations are never wrong. He also had various injuries on him which I healed. It seemed like Mr. Dio here was attempting to reach the Guild for whatever reason, and he was attacked across the way. The resulting fallout can be attributed to his a Will ability having manifested due to stress."

"Did your fancy Will powers show you all of that Guild master," mockingly asked the man known as Thunder. It seemed he didn't hold Will powers –an idea which will take getting used to- in high esteem. I really hope he isn't your average musclebound idiot with a sort temper. The games never went into enough detail for me to get a good read on him.

"No Thunder, they did not. I found that out in this notebook in a bag I found near him."

Having said that, he picked up a bag that was lying around, and drew out what looked like a strange piece of paper. I realized that was parchment, and it dawned on me just how different this world was going to be. The ease that electricity provided us would no longer be available, and I would have to walk miles everywhere. The food won't be anywhere as diverse, but my thoughts were brought to a screeching halt with what I thought of next: no indoor plumbing. The sheer disgust that gave me almost made me throw up on the spot, but I managed not to. I'll have to deal with that issue at a later date.

Weaver asked me to read aloud what was written on the parchment and I saw an opportunity and took it. On the parchment itself, a few words written in what seemed to be charcoal could be read. They were

-Go to Heroes Guild

-Join and become a hero

-Get revenge on bandits.

Everyone present looked impressed that I could both read and write, and Weaver had a smug expression that set off warning bells in my head.

"So the little sneak can read," said maze. "Impressive. Literate people are in short supply in the world, even here in the Heroes Guild. That rules out the possibility of you being a common bandit. However, if you're related to a noble, that opens up its own issues."

"Come now Maze" replied Weaver; "can you imagine a noble, any noble, wearing clothes like the ones this lad here is wearing? Or traipsing through the woods alone, without a single guard?"

It seemed that the nobles of this world follow the stereotypes assigned to them. That will make them easier to deal with. Thunder nodded at that, and he seemed to lose interest in the rest of the conversation. He walked out with the young girl that was with him. Maze seemed to concede to those points, and merely nodded in response.

"I thought as much. From what I can gather, Dio here had an interest in joining the heroes' guild, and from what I've seen of his abilities so far, I believe we should present him with the chance."

I could feel a grin forming on my face, and I did nothing to hide it. This was all conveniently easy. Weaver is either highly impressed with me, the guild is in desperate need of heroes, or Rover is pulling strings from somewhere. It's probably a mixture of all three.

"I have a question" I asked Weaver. "What makes you so sure I'm hero material?" While annoying, I have to play the part of the unwitting fool for now.

"That's simple. You demonstrated Will abilities back in that forest. Only those with the blood of heroes have access to Will. And from what my examinations showed me, your Will reserves are marginally higher than most heroes ever achieve, and that's with you not having any formal training. Add in the fact that you are literate, and you're simply too good of a chance to pass up on. Sadly, the number of heroes has been decreasing in recent years, so I'm always on the lookout for possible candidates."

Maze frowned heavily when Weaver told me that. It seemed he doesn't appreciate the Guild as being shown as having any weaknesses. I could also see that Weaver was appealing to whatever it was that brought me here in the first place. While commendable, there's no need for that. I've already decided to join. However, I can't make this too easy on them.

"While this seems like a great opportunity, I can't simply join the Guild without knowing anything. Would I be able to observe how the guild operates for a few days before making a decision?"

Both Weaver and Maze shared a look at that, and some kind of message passed between them. Maze took one final look at me, and walked out. It seems he doesn't like me. Then again, he doesn't seem like the type of person that likes anyone. With only Weaver and I in the room, I feel like I can relax. He seems to be the most accepting of me, and has shown an interest in me.

"While that is an unusual request, your case is equally unusual. I will grant your request; you have three days to observe the guild and how it operates. You will have an escort at all times. Any attempts to enter a restricted area will be met with execution. You have coin in your bag, so you may use that to trade at the stores in the Guild. Meals will be provided for you. At the end of these three days, you will tell me what decision you've reached. Is this acceptable to you?"

It went unspoken between us that Weaver will be doing everything in his power to recruit me. I have him in my pocket, and I'll make sure to squeeze this opportunity dry before I accept. I have a distinct lack of knowledge of how this world works, and I'm sure that even with all of the restrictions, I'll have a degree of leeway that won't be available after I join.

"Very well Weaver, I accept your terms."

 **Authors Note:**

 **The chapters up to now have been shorter than what I usually expect them to write, but they seem like perfect cut off points. I tried to capture the characters shown here correctly, but I will be putting my own flair into them. And to answer the question, yes Rover was manipulating the thought processes of the character's here to accept Dio. A simple task for a god of chaos. The next chapter will discuss a history of the guild, and will have the first, and probably only, time skip. It will also discuss Dio's fighting style, which I already have planned out along with a description of what Dio looks like. Until next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note:**

 **I originally planned to have the time skip in this chapter, but I've decided to move it to the next one. Otherwise this chapter would have been twice as long. A description of Dio is in this chapter. In the next chapter, I will outline the abilities he will have, but it will have been three years, and he is graduating. His training and missions will be detailed in separate chapters, as several 'extra' chapters. I have five missions planned out, but if any of you want to suggest any, feel free. Some necessary info: Thunder and Briar Rose are still apprentices at this point, although they are about to graduate. There's also the first 'combat' scene, and I'd like to know how I did. And I did add my own flair to the description of the guild. Enjoy the chapter!**

"Speech"= A normal conversation

" _Speech_ "= Thoughts

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or Fable; they belong to JK Rowling and Microsoft respectively. I only own Dio, and I make no money off of this story.

-Skip-Skip-Skip-Skip-

As Weaver escorted me through the Guild grounds, I was struck by how serene and professional the place looked. The first thing to stand out was the waterfall at a distance. The water that splashed down seemed to shine in the sunlight, almost like it formed crystals that streaked through the faint mist that the falling water produced. There were hundreds of rivulets carved into the surrounding bedrock that ran upwards, and water could be seen snaking through them. I realized that his waterfall was artificial created, and the water that ran up was how the supply was replenished. There was what looked like a massive arena to my right, not far from the waterfall. Unlike a conventional arena which would be closed off on all sides, the walls of stopped, leaving a clear view to what happened inside. From here I could see various people shooting at an archery range, and others sparring against each other. I was too far to see all of it though. To my left there were various buildings, and Weaver was leading me towards them, explaining the history of the guild along the way.

"The Heroes Guild formed in the violent aftermath of the Old Kingdoms end. During this time, the populace of Albion found they were now leaderless, and grew distrustful of their very neighbors. Chaos, bloody and terrible ensued. Our records say that a man named Nostro founded the Heroes Guild with the assistance of another man named Scythe. These two men gathered allies, formed the guild, and enforced a peace on Albion. Since then, on numerous occasions the Guild became a glorified mercenary den, and a beacon of hope. Scythe can still be found in the guild occasionally to this day. How the decrepit bag of bones has survived this long is beyond me."

At this point, we entered what had to be the strangest library I've ever seen. It was large and circular, and it seemed to be more of a spire than a regular building. However, the size and shape of the building confused me as the inside was completely different from the outside. Weaver's eyes held amusement as he saw my face, probably knowing how bewildered I am.

"This building looked nothing like this from the outside," I informed him. This building truly looked normal from the outside. However, what the entire structure defined convention. While the building looked like a relative square from outside, the inside is clearly circular as there are no edges. What boggled my mind was the height of it. It seems to continue upwards endlessly, and an open roof allowed sunlight to stream in and provide natural lighting. There was only a sparse amount of people inside here, which only made the building look bigger. I guess the literacy rate in this world is smaller than I first assumed.

Weaver chuckled at that. "Our library is probably our most impressive location," he said. "Sadly, whatever methods were used to create it has been lost to time, and any methods of recreating it have been unsuccessful. It is probably a remnant of the Old Kingdom. Nothing seemed to be out of their reach, and we constantly strive to recreate their wonders with what little scraps of knowledge we have. This building allows natural lighting to filter in, and yet no elements are allowed passage. As to its dimensions, it seems to endlessly expand in response to our needs, and can accommodate a growing library of scrolls. It really is the perfect location for a library. There are centuries of recorded knowledge here and records of spells and experiments left behind by previous heroes. You will be allowed limited access to our records during these three days. Whe- if you decide to join, you will have full access to our records. Now, let's keep moving, you'll have time to admire this later."

I caught his little verbal slip, and couldn't help but sneer at his arrogance. Then again, I doubt there are many who would truly deny a chance to join the Guild. I merely smirked and followed him out. There were plenty of people walking the grounds, and they were all fairly young. The ages ranged from children to mid-teens, and they were all wearing variations of a horribly dreadful outfit that made me shudder. It seemed the horror of uniforms reach every universe. I had only seen two adults in my entire time here, present company not included, and I asked Weaver about that. One thing that I did notice was the weird looks every single person shot me. I doubt that it's simply because I'm with the Guildmaster, since he doesn't seem like the type to avoid people, that's more along the lines of Maze's personality. Rover did say he would 'modify' my body. I wouldn't put it past him to change how I look. I only hope it isn't something horrible.

"While all heroes begin their journeys here at the Guild," he replied, "they don't always remain. When most finish their apprenticeships and are viewed as 'real' heroes," and yes, he did use quotation marks on that, "they decide to leave. The only ones who remain are those who want to become instructors, or the ones who wish to browse the library. They all return eventually due to a need for quests, or nostalgia."

We then proceeded to explore the rest of the Guild. Weaver showed me the mess hall, where I was informed of all the rules that must be followed. All conflict must be resolved outside the arena; any fighting outside of it was punished severely. Any stealing or other form of crime would resort in either expulsion from the Guild, or execution depending on the severity. The Guild basically maintained a zero tolerance policy, and considering that they have to maintain their reputation sterling clean at all times, I could understand why.

Our next destination was the arena, and I could immediately tell I would be spending most of my time here. While it obviously lacked the equipment a modern day gym had, it still has an impressive array of facilities. Logs of different sizes masquerade as weight lifting equipment, and other equipment such as a pull up bar, all meant for muscle training. A separate area was a remarkable archery range. There were targets at different ranges, making the range suitable to novices, experts, and everyone in between. I could also see that the targets would move in a horizontal line. This was essentially a prehistoric conveyor belt, as I could see someone manually turning a wheel to power it, and I would definitely have to explore possibilities with that. There is even a small area designated to hone reflexes and flexibility. Drawings posted on a board showed exercises designed to increase flexibility, and there is even a series of logs on pendulums that trainees have to cross without being struck. The arena had the highest concentration of people, which makes sense as combat is an essential part of being a hero.

To further entice me, Weaver gave me a brief rundown of how the guild operates.

"Anyone is allowed to submit a Quest for completion" he told me, "even a hero if they need something done without being directly involved. I and a handful of others, determine if the payment the client has offered is sufficient for the quest. It usually is, as most people aren't seeking to cheat the guild or waste our time. The request is then posted on our Quest board, and it can be picked up by anyone. All quests are given a difficulty ranking based on known information, and there are restrictions to the level of a Quest a hero can take, this way rookie heroes won't take a mission too difficult for them and die. The client pays half of the reward when submitting a request, and half upon completion. The guild takes a quarter of the payment as a fee. If a hero fails or dies during a quest, we may send another to complete it, or cut our losses and reimburse the client. It is in our best interests that heroes survive as long as possible. Training them as students costs money, and if they die immediately that is a loss of profits on our side."

What he's saying seems pretty heartless, but it makes sense. Money runs everything, and supplying and training people costs money. Heroes sound like glorified mercenaries, which is what people are in most RPGs no matter what their intentions are.

"Are there any quests that the guild doesn't accept" I asked him. "Any restrictions that we have to follow outside of the guild?" Rules of some sort have to exist, or it would be madness.

"That is a valid question. Other than assassinations, no there are no Quests we won't take. Maze and I have done our best to provide all heroes with one opportunity: deciding which path they will follow. Back when I was younger, the Heroes' Guild was strictly a beacon for the forces of good. There were strict rules that were harshly enforced, and any deviation from them was met with expulsion from the guild or execution. The Guild believed it was its duty to vanquish any source of evil. I disagreed with this nation, as did Maze and a few others. We gathered en masse, and we took over the guild. After the battle, Scythe instated me as the Guildmaster. The rest is history."

The more I get to know Weaver, the more I like him. He has a peaceful aura around him, and he seems to be perpetually calm. The fact that he recognizes the necessity of evil, and the fact that it can't ever be truly extinguished, shows his wisdom and practicality. I can't really see anyone better suited to keep a group of overpowered idiots like the Heroes' in line.

"I do have a question," I asked him as we walked towards our next location. "What exactly defines a hero? What makes a hero different than any other person? You mentioned Will in my blood earlier today. What is that?" I truly was curious. Just because the game explained things one way, there's no reason that this world follows the same mechanics. Assuming things could get me killed.

"A shrewd question," he replied. "I'll start by what defines a hero. The widely accepted theory is that Heroes' are descendants of Archons from the old kingdom. The Archons, and those related to them, were the only ones recorded to have abilities similar to what we Heroes' do, although they were far more powerful. It's believed that the power in those bloodlines is getting weaker in each generation. While every once in a while a particularly powerful hero will appear, take thunder who you met earlier as an example, the common hero simply isn't as powerful as they used to be. It's a problem that everyone fears, few are willing to look into, and no one has any solutions to. In a century or two, it's probable that Heroes will cease to exist."

"You have no idea how true that is weaver," I thought. By the time the second game began, five hundred years into the future, Heroes were nothing more than stories. It allowed people to rely on their own two feet instead of relying on them, but crime and monster populations were higher than ever before. It's an inevitable end, and I frankly don't want to attempt to fix it. I would have to convince hundreds of Heroes to sire children. That's a headache I don't want to deal with. Unknowing of my internal debate, Weaver continued to lecture about heroes.

"There are three sets of skills that Heroes focus on. These are abilities that have been discovered and refined throughout the centuries, some of them come naturally to all Heroes, and others can only be achieved by certain ones. Some Heroes focus on a single path, while others incorporate two or even all three of them into their fighting style.

Strength is the first of the three. It concentrates on a mastery of the muscles in the body, and how to effectively develop them. There are rigorous training exercises that will strengthen each muscle. It focuses on the power behind the swing of a sword, or the strike of an axe. Through time, it's been noticed that the skin of Heroes who focus on this branch hardens. While not to the point that a sword couldn't pierce it, it would do noticeably less damage. Thunder is a prime example of a Hero who solely focused on strength, and it can be seen in his stature."

Didn't I know it? The guy was tall enough that he won't comfortable fit inside most buildings, and he was easily twice as wide as any other man I've seen here. I would hate to see what he would look like on steroids. Add his armor onto how tough his skin must be, and this guy is essentially a walking tank.

We then entered the mess hall, sat down and Weaver ordered food for us both. Oddly enough, we were the only two here. I decided not to comment, as I neither knew what passed for food in this world, or what the guild served. As we waited, Weaver continued to lecture. It amazes me how he knows all of this from memory. I wonder how many hours he poured over a scroll to memorize all of this.

"Skill is the second of the Hero skill sets," Weaver informed me, "and most Heroes train under this branch along strength. It focuses on flexibility, and making the overall body limber. It focuses on striking faster than your opponent, and which weaknesses to exploit to disable your enemy quickly. This branch requires a sharp mind and a delicate touch, two skills that not everyone possesses. All apprentices are required to develop a modicum of skill in archery, for practicality's sake. It's easier to kill a deer from afar than to sneak up on one after all."

So this is essentially what a rogue was, I mused. As we were talking, our meal arrived, and I was speechless. I knew this was standard fare during the medieval ages, but I was still flabbergasted. In front of me was an entire leg of what had to be mutton, and a large cup of what smelled like mead. At my incredulous look, Weaver merely raised an eyebrow.

"It just feels weird to be served this" I told him. "While I can't really remember what I ate on a regular basis, I can tell this wasn't it." Honestly, could a single person even eat an entire leg of mutton? I wasn't sure, even if Americans are known for overindulgence in food.

Weaver nodded at what I said. "While meat is usually rare out in the countryside, we provide nothing but the best to those who pass through our halls. All new apprentices are served mutton for a few months, as it helps to develop muscle. A more stable diet which includes vegetables is introduced later."

That makes sense I suppose. I took a bite out of the mutton, and I was glad that the large size of the meat hid my face. The meat was salty, and I could tell it was smoked. While it wasn't bad in any way, it's so radically different than the meat I'm used to that I know it will take me a while to get accustomed to. It doesn't help that meat isn't something I ate frequently. The flavor and texture are definitely unique. When I tried the mead though, I had to gag. It was simply horrible! It felt like I was drinking mud, and tasted like it too.

"I'm very sorry" I told a nearby waiter, "but do you have any water? I'm obviously not used to drinking this."

The waiter nodded, and proceeded to bring me a cup of water. Tasting it, I was pleasantly surprised. It tasted so clean and pure, much better than anything I have ever tasted. Considering they have a source of water nearby, it made sense.

"I'm curious as to what Will is" I told weaver. "Strength and Skill are simple enough understand, but what exactly is Will? You mentioned earlier today that I have a high amount of Will energy, yet I have no clue what that is, or how to access it."

That wasn't completely true. I'm pretty sure that the strange energy I've felt ever since I woke up is Will energy, but I truly have no idea how to access it. I'm pretty excited about it though. From what I remember from the game, is essentially magic. And honestly, who wouldn't want to wield magic? Everyone has dreamt about that at some point.

"Those are insightful questions Dio. While I cannot tell you how to access it as you aren't a member of the guild" –I see that smirk you crafty bastard- "I can explain what Will is. It is essentially what you want it to be. The limits of Will are simply your imagination and determination. Theoretically, there is nothing that can be done through the power of Will. It is a second energy source that is within everyone, but not all can access it. The process to unlock it is different for everyone, and must be discovered by that individual. Some have unlocked it through an intense bout of emotion, or in the heat of combat. Very few are able to understand the complexities of Will, and out of the ones who do unlock it, they fail to move beyond the basics of elemental manipulations. It's truly saddening to see how quickly it's given up on."

I'm surprised at the passion of his speech, and can't help but agree. Taking a close look at him, he doesn't seem to carry any weapons with him. While he may have some concealed, with this speech I can safely assume that Will is his area of expertise. And with a name like Weaver, I'm very curious as to how proficient he is with Will. I will definitely be approaching him to help me out.

After we finished our meal and continued walking, I asked Weaver if there was a way to cure amnesia, since according to him a way to verify if someone has amnesia exists. Staying in character is going to be difficult, and I can only hope I get used to it quickly. Thankfully the Drama class and acting lessons I took during my freshman year of high school help out.

"I'm afraid not lad," he told me. "Any attempts to change mental illnesses have all resorted in death. The infusion of a foreign Will energy inside of another person's body literally melts the brain. No one knows why this happens. What I did was merely a scan, and amnesia has key identifiers that show up. But that isn't to say your prospect is hopeless. Most cases of amnesia have recorded that memories return with time, and familiarity also helps. During your travels through Albion you may come across a place you've been, or a person you knew, and that may trigger your memories."

I made sure to look relieved at the information, and thanked him. We walked in silence the rest of the way, and I made sure to remember as much of the place as I could. I will be having a guide in the future, and I'd rather annoy them as little as possible. We stopped in front of a multi floored building, with many others similar building behind it all separated into two sides, and Weaver turned to talk to me.

"These are the quarters, where the rooms of all apprentices are located. They are separated by gender, and being found in an opposite genders building will be punished by the residents of said building. Your room is on the third floor, second door on the right. Your bag has already been dropped there. If you decide to stay, you'll be given a placard with your name on it. Thievery or vandalism of another person's property is grounds for immediate expulsion. Do try to find a room with your relative age group; it makes it easier for everyone. Now, while this may be inconvenient for you, you will need to stay in whichever room you pick for the rest of the day. I have to find someone to be your escort for the next two days, and the same person will have to mentor you if you decide to stay. I'll find you in two days, until then feel free to explore. I truly do hope you come to the correct decision Dio, you have a great deal of potential and I would hate for you to waste it."

Saying his piece he left, leaving me to my own devices. " _It's strange the amount of trust I'm being give. I wonder if this is a test to determine if I can be trusted. It can also be an olive branch of sorts. Then again, I am a single untrained person without any weapons, so they may just assume I won't deal much damage. While true, it's arrogant, as I could kill a few people before I'm taken down. I have no plans on doing that, but I'll have to keep an eye on security. The Guild may be attacked, and I'd like to be prepared in that situation."_

I entered the building and looked around. The entire building was made out of thatch and wood, even the furniture. While nothing seemed broken, I could clearly see that the wood would give me splinters if I'm not careful. There were a few people lounging about on the first floor, but none of them approached me. They seemed content to acknowledge my presence and mind their own business. That's a good sign, as I'm a very private person. Instead of going to my room straight away, I'll explore the building. This first floor had what pass for a bath located in the back. It was simply a cranking well that deposited cold water into a bucket. Joy. And not far from there…is what passes for a bathroom, if the smell is any indication. I wonder who thought having an outhouse near the 'baths' was sanitary. This place will be the death of me.

The second floor was where the rooms began, and it was mostly inhabited by children. There seemed to be a few older kids there to keep a semblance of order. The fourth floor is inhabited by the older students, and the fifth a storage room. The third floor was the same as the one above and below it. There were twelve rooms per floor, six on each side. Each room was small, about twelve feet in all directions. The only furniture was a straw bed, a single chair, an empty bookcase, and a cabinet. There were shelves along the walls, but they were all bare. The one thing that really bothered me however, was the lack of a door. Not a single room in this building had a door, and for the life of me I can't figure out why. A lack of privacy could easily bring people together, or drive them apart. Add in the fact that many of the apprentices here are just entering puberty, and you're stirring a cauldron of trouble. That may be the purpose though, to both teach Heroes to deal with a lack of privacy, and to deal with meltdowns quickly to avoid them down the road. An ingenious design if true, but it's still infuriating.

There really isn't much to do, so I'll try to sleep. It says a lot when the floor is more comfortable than the bed itself.

-Skip-Skip-Skip-Skip-

It was a kick to the side that woke me up the next morning.

"Get your ass up newbie, I'd rather get today over with as soon as possible."

Not the nicest way I've been awoken, but it is better than a bucket of cold water. The woman currently kicking me awake was definitely attractive. She seemed to be in her late teens, or her early twenties. She had a pair of glasses, which I find weird as I don't think even monocles existed at this point. Her black hair reached her shoulders, and it drew attention to her face, which was currently set in a frown. She wore a white and red patched suit, which made her look like a skinny Mrs. Santa.

"Well, are you going to be lying down all day, or will I have to kick you again to get your ass up anytime soon?"

"No need, I'm up. Who are you, and to what do I owe the pleasure of your company on this fine morning?" Hey, if the bitch kicked me she can deal with some sarcasm.

"The names Briar Rose, but you'll call me Rose. The Guildmaster told me to babysit you today and tomorrow, so I'm here to get it over with."

Oh joy, I get the Brothers Grimm knockoff that's as arrogant and condescending as Thunder. At least from what I remember, her attitude improves if you prove yourself as a hero, while Thunder is just a prick at all times.

"So kid" she asked, "what's your story? The Guildmaster wouldn't tell me much about you, just that you're a potential candidate for an apprentice. The others have already come up with several wild rumors. According to some, you arrived here in a literal blazing heap."

She's trying to hide it, but I could see she had some respect for me since I've caught Weavers eye. She knows how difficult that is, since she and Thunder are apprentices to both Weaver and Maze.

"There isn't much I can tell you sadly. I was apparently on my way to the Guild to become a Hero, but I seemed to have been attacked at some point. Weaver found me in a clearing somewhere near the guild, and yes, there was some fire. According to him, I have Great potential for Will."

Hey if using Weaver gets her to be less hostile, why not right?

"Hmm he said that huh. Well in either case; get yourself ready for whatever it is you need to do today. I can't believe I have to babysit someone today, the Guildmaster knows how busy I am. Why couldn't he find some other schlep to do this?"

She said the last part while walking out of the room. And I had to stop myself from throwing something at her. " _Don't cause any trouble yet"_ I mused, _"I can get her back after I join the Guild."_

As I walked out I could see the other boys in the quarters giving me sympathetic looks, and one even approached me saying; "You're really unlucky you know that? Briar Rose is one of the hardest people to get along this. A note of advice though; she'll kick your ass if you give her any trouble."

It seems like Rose isn't well liked around here. Although with that attitude, I'm not surprised. I'll have to find some way to get in her good graces since there's probably much I could learn from her.

Rose was waiting for me outside, a frown still present on her face. I should at least try to find out what she enjoys to do, we may have something in common.

"What is it that you do around here?"

"Why do you ask?" " _You're going to make this difficult aren't you?"_

"If we're going to be stuck with each other, we can at least not be at each other's throats. I'm supposed to explore the Guild and see how it operates, so why not start with what you enjoy?"

"That…sounds reasonable enough. I spend most of my time either in the library or in the arena. Pick your poison."

"The library's a good first choice. I was impressed with it yesterday, and I'm curious as to the information it has."

"Not the arena? You're not a coward aren't you?" I could hear the challenge in her tone, but I'm not stupid enough to get mad over that.

"It's too early in the day to get my ass kicked. And a library is a place of peace, I'd rather not be sore when I need to concentrate." There, good enough reasons without sounding like a wimp.

"Well well. At least you don't seem to be an idiot. Few people around here know how to read, and even fewer have any respect for a library. Very well, let's go."

Entering the library I was again impressed with how grandiose it really is. It lacks the comfort and ease of a modern library, but its architecture is no less impressive. I wonder how many years and how much power it took to make. There is of course a matron in charge of the entire establishment, a Mrs. Pierce. She fit your stereotypical librarian to a T; middle-aged, hair tied into a bun, and looked so strict that she would skin you alive for creasing the page of a book. I felt like a child again in front of her piercing stare. It's probably best not to aggravate her if I want to continue coming here.

"So" she asked, you're the newest recruit into this merry band of misfits. I assume you're here to read a scroll?" I nodded. "Very well, I'll tell you the rules. Keep any noises to a minimum so you don't distract anyone else here. No scrolls are allowed to be taken out of the library. There are special enchantments built in this place that preserves each scroll. Take the utmost care with them, because if and damage comes to them because of you and I'll make you copy the entire scroll. Any damage that you notice on a scroll you will report immediately. Is that all understood?"  
"Yes ma'am." I've always had a healthy dose of fear to librarians. When I was a child I broke a pen and spilled ink all over a book, and the librarian made me copy every broken page down. I still have phantom pains when I remember that.

"Good. There's an index next to my desk, use it to find whichever scroll you need. Every floor is divided into a different category, and all scrolls are arranged alphabetically by subject."

I nodded and walked over to the index. Rose was by my side snickering at me the whole time.

"You were awfully quiet back there" she said. "You aren't scared of old Mrs. Pierce are you?"

"Of course I am. Librarians are some of the scariest beings in existence, right along with mothers.

"Yeah….right." Her face fell at the mention of a mother, and I could tell there was probably some issue there between them. I could relate to that. My parents were rich, and they were the kind of people that were obsessed with keeping up appearances. They never wanted kids, and had me just so they could put up a front of a happy family. Ever since I could remember I was tutored on how to act, dance, and behave 'perfect.' While we appeared to be an ideal family, they always ignored my presence whenever they could. I was alone most of the time, as other kids shunned me because of who my parents were. My grandparents were the only ones who ever paid me any attention, but I would rarely see them as a child. I was devastated when my grandparents died, as they were really the only relationship I had. Everyone else simply approached me for my money.

Back to the present, there was an awkward silence between us. "Right" I said, "what books do you recommend I read up first?" Happy for a change of topic, she eagerly responded.

"The first thing you should know before you set foot in here is your combat style. Since I doubt you remember anything about combat, you'll have to do that at a later date. We have details of combat styles and magic others have recorded. Geography is the next thing you should focus on. History isn't very important in day to day life, but knowing some is always useful o you don't appear a dunce if someone brings up an important event or person. And we also have extensive records on the various known monsters and how to kill them."

While cartography in these ages has never been accurate, it's still better than nothing. And I doubt that maps are in great abundance, so it would be better if I memorize important landmarks such as cities in case I can never have a spare map. And info on history and monsters is something I'll leave to a later date, since I won't be able to memorize anything important today.

So with only one choice, I began to learn relative geography. There isn't a defined length like on maps today, but rather distance was defined in days it took to get to a location, whether by walking or riding. I asked Rose to help me out, and while she was still sarcastic, she helped me out gladly enough. She seems like a person who is more at ease than when interacting with regular people. I could relate, since I retreated to books when I was younger as a way to escape. She was impressed with how easily I understood the maps, but compared to the ones in my modern age, these are fairly simple.

At least Bowerstone, the capital of Albion, is only a day away by walking. Rose informed me how anything can be found in Bowerstone, and the newest inventions could be found there. Most of the town was open to the populace, except for the noble district. Only Heroes with a certain amount of renown were allowed there. From the way Rose described it, it seemed that she's either visited the noble district, or lived there at some point. She described it in better detail than any other part of the town. It makes sense, she and I are already alike in many ways, and it would explain her behavior. I might ask her about it later, and see if there's anything she could tell me about nobles, in case I ever meet one.

After spending a couple of hours poring over maps with Rose, when we walked out of the library she asked me the one thing I was dreading about today.

"So newbie, are you ready to get your ass kicked- I mean for me to assess your combat prowess?" Use all the fancy words you want bitch, I heard the first part of that sentence. Maybe I can make up an excuse?

"Well" I replied, "I wouldn't want to hit someone with glasses." Honestly, I've always wanted to say that to someone.

"Oh there's no need to worry about that, I only need these to read, and because they look fantastic on me. I can fight without them well enough."

I sighed. "Very well, lead on then."

She laughed at that. "There's no need to look like you're being led to an execution, I won't beat you up too badly. If I killed you there would be one less person I could hold an intelligent conversation with."

Well, at least she doesn't hate my guts. It's a good enough start. We entered the arena, and when others saw Rose leading me they sent me sympathetic looks. It seems she's well known. Maybe I could have her help me train.

Rose picked out two wooden swords, and tossed me one. I at least didn't drop it and make a fool of myself. The sword was heavier than It seemed, but not heavy enough that I couldn't swing it.

"All of our swords are weighted: Rose told me, "So when you get your hands on an actual sword you can control its movement easier. Now, I'll just swing at you for now, simply block each strike and show me what you've got."

I nodded, that sounded easy enough. As I took a stance with my sword between us, I felt a haze go over my mind. However, instead of hindering me, it seemed to slow down the world around me. It was much easier to focus, and I could perceive the world around me in a way I didn't before. Details that were hidden from me are now revealed, such as the tensing in Rose's leg muscles, which shows me that she's about to attack. I had a split second to thank rover for doing this to me, before she struck.

Sadly, while I could clearly see where she was going to attack, my body isn't able to move as quickly. I was able to block her first strike, but she hits harder than I expected. The force behind the strike tossed my sword aside, and I had to step to the side to avoid getting hit over the head. I tensed for the next blow, but it never came.

"Good movements" she told me. "Not just anyone could have avoided those. And instead of just standing there and blocking, you moved out of the way. Now, repeat."

The next blow moved faster than the others, and I had to toss myself to the ground to avoid it. I didn't even have a moment to think before the next blow came. I tried to block it again, but I was met with the same results. I panicked when I saw the next blow come at me and I realized I couldn't get my sword up fast enough, so I jumped back. I couldn't see the rock that was; oddly enough, located in the exact spot I jumped to. I landed on it and fell flat on my ass. I felt something prod my head, and I saw Rose with her sword on my head."

"Dead" she intoned. Her face was much more serious than usual. "If this were real a real battle, you would be dead right now."

My cheeks filled with color as I felt my shame rose, and whatever high I was on faded away. I wanted to be angry, to rant about how unfair it was that she, someone with prior training was fighting against me, someone with no training. However, I held my tongue. I know Rose isn't the type of person to be unnecessarily cruel, so I tried to think about what lesson I'm supposed to be learning here.

And that's when it hit me like a sack of bricks. This isn't a game, no matter how much it appears to be one. A strike can hurt, and I can die. I'll be in actual combat, and I won't be able to plan for every eventuality. If I take a half assed approach to this, eventually I'll find someone stronger than me, and I'll die.

"You're right" I told her. 'If you wanted to kill me, I would be dead right now. This isn't a game, and there are actual consequences. I'm sorry I wasn't taking this serious up to now."

She made a face at that. "Why would you think any of this is a game?"

I smiled wryly at that. I need to be more careful as to what I say in the future. I got up and faced her again.

"I wasn't taking any of this seriously because of my memory loss, and I apologize. I'm ready now." It seemed like a good enough reason, and she seemed to accept it. As she began to strike again, I could once again feel that haze wash over me again, and I blocked her strike. When my sword was tossed aside this time, I moved to the side and kicked her in the side.

"Heh, not a bad hit" she said after she recovered. "Moves like that will save your life. There are too many heroes these days that believe a swordfight should just be between swords, and are too concerned with honor. They're too easy to take advantage of, and they're quick to die"

"I agree completely. Honor is for a duel, but it has no place in a battle. It won't be much help when you have a sword shoved through your gut."

She laughed at that, but I could see many of the people around me frowning, or throwing disgusted looks at us. I stand by my decision though. I'd rather stay alive than die because of a silly thing like honor. And if someone has a problem with that, they can deal with it. I'm not here to make friends, nor do I need any if they're that smallminded.

"Keep that mindset newbie, and you'll live long enough to actually be someone." I'll take that as a compliment, backhanded as it may be. It's probably the closest thing to one anyone will ever get from her. "However" and the smile she had at this point sent shivers down my spine, it was positively devilish, "don't think this is over. You have great reflexes, and I'm going to test how good they really are."

" _Oh this is just perfect. I'm going to die."_

And the next few hours repeated like that. She would strike, and I would do my best not to get hit. The longer I lasted, the faster and harder she would hit. I appreciated how she showed the gulf between us without boasting it. While it's a tough pill to swallow, Rose simply outclasses me. I'll be damned if I don't bridge this gap though. That night I went to bed feeling as if I was run over by a truck.

The next morning Rose practically had to drag me out of bed, I was too sore to get up. She poked fun at me, but none of it was malicious at least. She seems to have warmed up to me a bit, but if she's anything like me then she probably craved some form of human interaction. While I wouldn't call us friends, it's still a pretty big step after just one day.

As we passed the waterfall on our way to the library, I grew curious about the little fairy things in the water.

"Hold on" I called out to Rose, "I'm curious about what these are."

She sighed, exasperated, but followed me anyways. "They're light fairies," she said. "Contrary to what most people think, it's only the dark fairies that have any interest in harming people. In their case, light fairies have little interest in anything related to humans; they prefer to gather in places with a high concentration of Will energy, although they will sometimes take an interest in people who have a large amount of Will energy. This Guild is one of the few places, if not the only place, that has a high number of fairies so close to people. They all seem to be female, or at least a male fairy has never been seen"

As she explained what the lights were to me, I approached them. There were about two dozen of then, and they resembled little people, and I was strongly reminded of tinker bell, sans the green dress. There was a white aura that surrounded them, and that was what made the mist around them sparkle. It was a beautiful and breathtaking sight, and I would have been content to continue watching them if it wasn't for one fairy that decided to perch herself on my shoulder. She was the same size as the others, only about six inches tall. She was wearing a silver dress, and had long silver hair that fell past her shoulders. Even her eyes were silver, and I was beginning to suspect there was a color scheme here. She was currently staring at me with the cutest look of concentration I've ever seen, as if she wanted to figure out what I was.

"She seems to like you," Rose remarked. "Although it seems like she wants to figure out why you look so similar to her."

I froze when she said that. In what way could I look similar to her? All my features are fairly normal, and this fairy isn't. I then remembered the weird looks people sent me yesterday and the day before, and I looked in the water. What I saw left me speechless. Just like the fairy on my shoulder, both my eyes and hair resembled molten silver instead of the brown they had been all my life. My hair was cut short, so I would never have noticed without seeing my reflection. It seemed to fluidly move with the wind as if it was a liquid instead of the solid it should be. My eyes were the opposite, twin orbs of silver that looked as hard as any stone, although they were currently filled with shock. I also looked younger and far more handsome than I used to be, appearing to be in my late teens than my mid-twenties. Rose must have noticed my confusion, and voiced her suspicions.

"You're acting as if this is the first time you've seen your reflection."

"It isn't the first time….but I remember what I looked like before, and neither my hair nor my eyes have ever been silver. Rather, they've always been a dull brown. I'm…not sure what the hell happened actually."

"Well…. Will has been known to alter people's appearance at times, especially under a high amount of stress. Take Maze for example: it's said his hair was dyed white because he was almost killed when he was younger. You were also attacked, and seemed to have released a high amount of energy."

"Yeah….that may be it." What a classic response: when you don't understand something, blame magic. It was probably Rover who did this, he did say he would alter my body. In any case, it isn't like I'm against this; silver has always been my favorite color, and I've always wanted my hair to be that color. It's probably why Rover changed it in the first place. At least rose gave me a theory to explain this. The fairy seemed to have reached a decision, because she left my shoulder to join her friends, although she did take one final look at me.

As I continued to stare at my reflection mesmerized, Rose grew annoyed. "Come on lover boy" she said. "You can stare at yourself later." With that she dragged me away towards the library, although all I could think of was how happy I am about my new color scheme.

We spent the rest of the day in the library going over what I learned yesterday from the maps. Eventually Rose offered to 'evaluate' my combat skills again, but I declined saying I was still sore. She laughed at that, but thankfully dropped it. It wasn't until that night that I received some answers to my questions.

-Skip-Skip-Skip-Skip-

That final night while I was rearranging the room to feel more comfortable, I noticed the bag that Weaver said belonged to me on the bed, and I'm surprised I forgot about it the last few days. Curious about what was inside, I went over to it. To my disappointment, all that it contained were several pieces of parchment, and charcoal stencils

"Were you expecting a god slaying weapon in there" a voice said, nearly making me jump out of my skin. I turned around and saw Rover nonchalantly sitting on the only chair in the room, smirking at my reaction.

"Don't fucking do that you ass" I yelled at him. "You're going to give me a heart attack. What are you doing here anyways?"

"I'm just here to say hello, and to see how you're holding up. If I get a laugh out of it, well then, why not?"

"Tch, whatever. What if someone sees you? You aren't exactly…inconspicuous."

He really isn't. A being the size of a child, and he consisted of what seemed to be complete darkness. His eyes seemed to be twin quasars that drew the surrounding light into it. And his voice was still just as eerie, seeming as if multiple people were speaking at the same time. He's a being that's impossible to really be comfortable around.

"And there's no need to worry about me being seen. I've put up a field so no one approaches this room."

"That's…very useful." An Ability like that would make life easier anywhere. I wonder if I would be able to learn that.

"Yes, it really is. It emits a simple compulsion charm, so most barely notice they're under its effect. While it isn't an ability I can teach you at this moment, I could put it the charm on the doorway of this room."

"If you would, I would really appreciate it. There are many things in this world I find inconvenient."

"Of course there are, I think the same. Transitioning from a cozy modern life to one with a distinct lack of civilization would be a jarring experience for anyone. Since I am indirectly responsible for this terrible, terrible inconvenience you find yourself in, it would only be fair for me to help you out a bit. If there's ever anything that you need, feel free to ask. As long as you don't get carried away, I will provide them for you."

"That's very generous Rover. Thank you. I was worried about how ill survive here, and the last few days have been horrible. It seems petty, but some things are just so inconvenient. I'll make a list, and we'll deal with that later, all right?"

"That's fine. So tell me, what do you think of all this? How is it, living in a world of magic when you come from one without even a hint of it?"

"It's amazing. Who hasn't wanted this at least once in their life? Its freedom from a life of mediocrity and monotony. It isn't perfect of course, as themes an entire worlds logic to get accustomed to. There isn't a stable justice system in this world, and I'm sure at some point I'll have to take a life. I'm not sure how to feel about that, but it isn't the first time I've killed someone. I just hope it gets better."

The first time I took a life was when I was fourteen years old, and I clearly remember every detail to this day. My parents owned several small restaurants. From what I always heard, working conditions were less than stellar, and my parents hired immigrants and migrant workers when they could, many of which they fired for the slightest issue. One employee filed for sexual harassment against my father, but her claim was never proven, and she was fired. She decided to get back at them, so she kidnapped me for a ransom. After three hours with no response, the stress caused her to have a nervous breakdown, so she decided I had to pay for my parent's actions and beat me. It wasn't until a bathroom break where I was able to fight her off, and I hit her in the temple, killing her instantly. My parents made sure to play up the entire issue when it finally got out on the news, but simply asked me how I could create so much trouble for them. It was when this happened that I began to live with my grandparents, who were disgusted with what happened.

"It always gets better" Rover replied. "While you taking a life will be inevitable, there's no need to punish yourself for it. If those you kill are only the ones who deserve it, then there's no problem. Just concentrate on the horrors that those people will have committed if you hadn't killed them, and the lives of those you saved. And remember, there's no need for you to enjoy taking a life. It's a responsibility, and it burdens all those who choose to bear it.

"Wow, that…that actually made me feel a little better. Thank you."

'It isn't a problem. I did say you're currently my only source of amusement, and I would prefer if that didn't end anytime soon. While I won't interfere if you are about to be killed, I can at least prevent you from having a nervous breakdown over something as trivial as this. Also, you don't seem to understand just how significant what you did for me is. I was trapped inside a small container for centuries, unable to move. For someone who does what he wants like me…it was beyond torture. You saved me from that, and I did say this was your reward. I took the liberty of remaking your body and soul, giving them the potential to be far stronger than anyone in this world; stronger than even William black, who is considered to be the most powerful hero to ever live. While you will have to work to achieve that, it will be possible."

To say I'm shocked is an understatement. William Black is the ancestor of the protagonists for the fable games, and was the first Archon. To say I was motivated to reach that level is an understatement. Ignoring my surprise, Rover continued to talk.

"While you know little of me, do remember I looked through your mind. I saw every instance of your life, and know everything about you. It's the reason I changed your physical features along with de-aging you, since I knew you would appreciate that. However, more importantly I know the type of person you are. You're the type of person that will do what he has to if there's an important enough reason. You believe that the ends may justify the means, depending on the situation. While you're neither cruel nor heartless, you're able to turn your back on a person if you feel that they don't deserve your help. Nor are you above using people to get what you want. In a nutshell, you're not a pristine, generic hero, and the ideal person for me to observe."

To say I felt uncomfortable at that moment would be downplaying it. While I knew all of that about me deep down, it isn't something I've ever thought about, and having someone air your dirty laundry in front of you feels unbearable. It made me question the type of person I am, and if I'm truly satisfied with whom I am. Rover must have noticed my thoughts, or known what his speech would cause me to think.

"None of that makes you an evil person Dio, simply a jaded individual who knows what the world is truly like. Its people like you that change do great things and change the world. Now, whether what you do is along the lines of 'good" or 'evil' is completely up to you. No one can force you to act a certain way, and I'm simply here to observe and provide a little nudge every once in a while."

That…eased some of my worries. As long as I believe that what I do is the correct course of action, I shouldn't have any regrets. Play the game with the cards I've been dealt, and make the best of any situation. I can live with that.

"Onto a lighter topic, tomorrow morning is when Weaver is expecting your response. Am I safe to assume you're going to accept his offer?"

"Of course I am. This is the first stepping stone in my new life, and I intend to milk this for all its worth."

"That's magnificent then. I have to leave for now, but I'll be back in a few days. Make a list of what it is you need, and ill provide the items sometime in the next few days." With those final words, he seemed to simply dissipate into the shadows. It was an impressive sight.

Before going to bed I did as he said and made a list of what I needed, and then went to sleep. It ended up looking like this:

-A way to remove waste so I don't have to go to the bathroom here.

-Clothing that doesn't chafe

-A bed I can actually sleep on

-A journal and several pens

-An explanation on what you changed about me

-Anything else you can think of

-Skip-Skip-Skip-Skip-

When I went outside the next morning, I found Weaver waiting for me not far from the apprentice quarters.

"Have you decided on a course of action" he asked as he approached me.

"I've decided to stay as a hero here" I replied.

"Excellent. Then from this day on, you are an apprentice in the Heroes' Guild. You will learn various forms of combat for the next few months, until I deem you ready to be my apprentice. At that time, you will learn directly from me and will serve as Briar Roses' junior, as she is my only other apprentice. Do you have any questions?"

"Not at this moment sir."

"Very well then, from this moment forth, you are to refer to me as Guildmaster. You will follow any and all orders assigned to you by either I or any instructor in the guild, and also be expected to follow any and all rules. And on behalf of us all, welcome to the Heroes' Guild, your home."

 **AN:**

 **This chapter was a few thousand words more than I intended, even after I cut out a scene. It also took me too long to write. I'll put it in a future 'extra' chapter. In the next chapter, three years will have passed since this moment and Dio will be graduating. If any of you have any good ideas for a challenge, feel free to tell me. Also, I do intend for Dio to be in meaningful relationships, so there will be mentions of sex. I have no plans on writing lemons, although I may if enough people ask. I'm curious, if you all were in Dios position during the scene with Rover, what would you have put on your list? Until next time!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors Note:**

 **There should only be two, maybe three more chapters before I'm done in the fable universe and I move on to the Harry Potter universe. I will still post the 'extra' chapters, and if you have any suggestions for missions in the fable universe, feel free to suggest them. Most of my missions at the moment are focused on each of the various monster types found in the game. And if someone could help me come up with a decent demon door, I'd appreciate it. I already have a reward planned out. I'm looking for something puzzle based, to reflect the reward. Most of this story will be featured in the HP universe, but Dio will be returning to the Fable verse for various reasons. Oh, and starting from this chapter, always assume Dio's 'battle haze' from the last chapter automatically activates in every fight, as I won't continuously write it. I originally planned for the battle against the Hobbes to be in this chapter, but I had to separate it into two chapters because it would have been too long.**

"Speech"= A normal conversation

" _Speech_ "= Thoughts, telepathy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or Fable; they belong to JK Rowling and Microsoft respectively. I only own Dio, and I make no money off of this story.

-Skip-Skip-Skip-Skip-

As I stood in front of Maze and the Guildmaster in the Guild antechamber for my graduation mission, I thought back to the last three years I've spent as an apprentice here. After I told the Guildmaster I accepted his offer, he immediately sent me to train. The first few months were spent building muscle and learning how to use a variety of weapons. The four I focused were swords and great swords, along with maces and axes. I quickly found I prefer the lighter swords and axes compared to the heavier weapons. While I could use either type, I'm far more comfortable with lighter weaponry and armor, and my build and fighting style reflected that. I have a decent amount of muscle, but they're lithe and compact, like an athlete. My fighting style was focused on speed, and striking an enemy on vulnerable places on the body, such as the temple or kidneys. Rover provided me with a book on anatomy, and I poured over it for hours to memorize vulnerable locations on the body.

My flexibility was another thing I extensively trained. While I was nowhere near as flexible as a professional acrobat, I was quick and flexible enough to fluidly move through dozens of enemies in combat without being struck. I'm extremely deadly against humanoid enemies, easily being able to dispatch a few dozen of them without stopping. The only enemies on this world that could give me much of a challenge were Balverines and Trolls. While I my strength and speed are on par with even a White Balverine, they are rarely alone. A group of five Heroes I was in with during a quest accidentally encountered a Balverine pack a year ago, and while Rose and I survived, neither of us have any desire to try that again. Just like wolves, they have a pack mentality and terrific teamwork. They're also deceivingly intelligent; they surrounded us without any of us noticing before they attacked. Thankfully Rose and I always carried silver weapons as a precaution. Without those we would have died, as normal steel can't penetrate a Balverines hide. Sadly, only Rose and I survived the ambush, and we had to give up on the quest we were doing due to injuries and a lack of manpower.

My skill with a bow is my weakest points. I prefer a longbow instead of a crossbow, as longbows can shoot multiple arrows in the same time a crossbow shoots one. While I'm accurate enough to strike a moving target anywhere in fifty meters, my shooting speed is too slow to really be of any use in a battle with more than a handful of enemies. Then again, there is a reason why guns are so deadly. Sadly, gunpowder, and by extension guns, won't be discovered for a few centuries, and Rover refused to get one for me, saying a gun would 'destabilize the playing field.' Bows in general are too weak to pierce through even chainmail after a certain distance, so I never focused on them too much.

On the other hand, Will is easily my area of expertise, and that became apparent after a few months of training my abilities. My energy reserves are larger than any other person in the guild, so I was able to train for hours without exhausting myself. I was easily able to use any of the abilities that the instructors taught, although I only chose to master a few of them past the basics. While each Will ability has its use, most of them simply didn't fit with my combat style since they required too much time to charge up.

The way Will works is simple; once an individual is able to access his energy reserves, they draw on them and give it shape through their imagination, or their willpower. That's why it's referred to as will: the wielder molds its shape and effect. I was able to master each of the basics after just two weeks of trying. And I was quickly considered a savant when it came to Will, and the Guildmaster quickly took me under his wing to guide me. With his help I was able to find different ways to use the basic powers taught in the Guild, and he encouraged me to find new applications to my powers.

The first Will skill that I was taught was elemental manipulations. Forming ice was the first skill I was taught, and I found different combat applications. I'm able to form dozens extremely sharp spikes with ice and shoot them, but just being able to that would have been boring. With a few more weeks of training I was able to form a cone of ice that reached a few meters in front of me. While my ice isn't cold enough to freeze a person solid, it is cold enough to make movement difficult. I'm able to freeze a lake solid, although that would leave me drained for a few days until my energy returned, so it isn't a practical move. I can manipulate water to a lesser degree than ice, but I need an existing water source. I'm currently trying to either form my own water using energy, or gather it from the surrounding air. Unfortunately, I'm not making much process in either ability.

Fire was the next element I focused on, and I developed the same abilities that I did with ice. Fire followed much of the same process as ice, although its shape was harder to maintain as fire moves rapidly, while ice is an unmoving solid that maintained its own shape. While I can't evaporate an entire lake, I am able I did develop a high resistance to fire, and am able to manipulate any existing flame, or absorb it to gain a small amount of energy. I'm currently trying to use my heat manipulation to speed up the movement of air particles in a specific location causing friction and heat, and allowing me to form fire in any location. I've yet to reach the correct speed to cause fire, but I can form heat. With more training I should be able to do it. I also learned how to use ice and fire to adjust my body's temperature, making life comfortable, and theoretically never allowing me to get sick.

Wind was the third element I learned, and the one I've focused on the least. I manipulate it by extending my Will energy outwards as an aura, and shaping the existing wind through there. I was able to identify important types of gases, like oxygen and carbon dioxide. I mainly use wind to feed oxygen to my flames, making them stronger, or remove oxygen, effectively killing any flame. I am able to form blades of wind, which are invisible. However, while they can easily pierce through bones and hide, making hunting easy, and through trees if I put enough power into the blade, I can't pierce through either metal or stone. I'm currently trying to breathe out wind bullets, but the ones I am able to form lack any force behind it.

Lighting was the last element I trained with, and it was the hardest to use, taking me weeks to form. It was frustrating and I wanted to give up multiple times, but I've always had a fascination for lightning attacks in video games, and I was determined to also use them. At first I could only use lightning when it was already formed; limiting the times I could use it. I eventually memorized how lighting felt, and was able to produce it myself. This quickly became my favorite element, and I spent months learning new skills. I learned how to shoot separate lightning bolts, and how to shoot an ark that hit a larger area. When I used my lightning during a storm, I found out I was able to attract ambient lightning to power up my own attacks. I'm able to generate and shoot electricity from any part of my body, and the one attack I want to learn is 'breathing' lightning like a dragon, which should only take a few more months of practice. The power did eventually go to my head and I did start to quote Emperor Palpatine, which caused others around me to question my sanity. I regret nothing.

I'm not able to use any of my elemental powers to fly yet as I lack the necessary information on how it works, but when I finally have access to a computer it'll be the first thing I do.

I only focused on two more of the powers taught at the Guild: the force push spell and the assassin rush spell.

The assassin rush was a simple spell and it fit my combat style perfectly: it increases your speed exponentially with the more energy you provide it. In short burst this spell is a godsend, as you can either avoid an enemy hit, or attack an enemy before he or she can attack you. The spell drains energy in massive proportions, so short bursts are all I can do. It's also hard to stop once the spell ends, since the accompanying kinetic energy needs to go somewhere. It's easier to keep moving until you slow down.

The force push spell taught at the Guild is essentially a combination of telekinesis and a force field, and I abused the fuck out of it. Originally, all it did was simply generate an outward thrust of force. While no one else seemed to see the possible applications of these powers, as they possibly had no idea telekinesis or force fields existed, I had no such problem, and began to experiment with what I could do with it. The results were staggering: I could essentially combine the force push with any other power. When swinging a sword, I could add extra pressure on a swing to hit harder, and the same went with a punch. I could coat myself in a barrier that can reduce the force of a blow, but I can't prevent a slashing weapon from penetrating it yet. It also can't block any other Will attack. I could create a force field around an object and move it around, but it had to be in my field of vision and I had to concentrate on it at all times. But the most useful ability I found was creating a force field around any of my other powers, and then directing their movement. No one expects an attack that misses to come back and hit you from behind. The only drawback to this power is that I have to concentrate on whatever I'm manipulating, so its uses are limited during a battle.

The only other power I'm interested in learning is the ghost swords spell, as id then be able to form a sword without any problem. The theory for it is that the casters Willpower draw blades out from the netherworld to assist him or her. I haven't gotten the chance to learn this spell yet, but it has potential if I can draw more than simply swords, or change the swords themselves.

The heal spell is one of the few that I'm simply horrible at. For some reason, all I can heal is external wounds, so any internal damage is still fatal. While what I can do is better than nothing, I have no idea why I'm so bad at this spell, even adding my knowledge about how the body heals. The one thing I want to try in the future is to convert the heal spell into a boost to my body's natural healing, but I currently have no clue how to do that.

In my second year I discovered that flooding my body with Will energy increased the effectiveness of my muscles, so I could hit harder or run faster. Focusing Will energy in my eyes allowed me to see further and clearer, which is always great when reconnaissance is necessary, and doing the same to my ears allowed me to hear clearer and further. I made the mistake of enhancing my hearing in the guild, and the combined noise gave me a headache. The drawback of enhancing my body is that it's an enormous drain on my reserves, and it puts a strain on my body since my muscles are forced to beyond its limits. The enhancements could probably break my body if it's used for too long, but that's something I have no desire to try.

Other than training, I did go on a few missions during the last three years, but they were usually missions that required a High amount of Will energy, or had something to do with the old Kingdom. While I'm not an expert on the Old Kingdom, my high levels of Will energy lets me interact with any artifacts left behind, and I have a knack for understanding their use. However, I haven't been allowed out of the Guild ever since the Balverine ambush, and the attack on the Guild a few months ago. I argued against my instructors for days to allow me to graduate now with the other apprentices, during the winter solstice. Most of them argued that it was too soon for me to graduate, but the Guildmaster supported me, saying I had already mastered all that they could teach me, and staying here would only harm me.

The one thing I tried, and succeeded at, was changing the color of all my Will attacks. Because my hair and eyes were already silver, and because it still remains my favorite color, I decided to change the color of all my attacks to silver. The change took a while, because I had to change exactly how I viewed the color of each element. We spend our entire lives seeing fire as orange, or lightning as blue, so our Willpower reflects that. I was known as the 'Silver Mage,' and even though I wasn't yet a certified Hero, my name was quickly becoming known because of my prowess. I now hold the title of quickest graduate, having only needed to spend three years here. Of course, with Rover enhancing my body, and considering I'm one of the oldest apprentices in the guild, I would have been worried if I wasn't doing so well.

I grew close to the Guildmaster during these three years, and even though I'm no longer a child, I see him as a pseudo father figure. He supported everything I did, and calmly showed me the things I did wrong. And now, when it's time for me to leave, he's supporting my decision and allowing me to go. He's been a great help these last three years, is the biggest reason I was able to adjust to life in this planet. Although Rover was a great help with that, since he did provide me with everything on my list, and other things I asked for over the years.

I stood in the amphitheater with six other heroes, all of us waiting for a final mission to prove we're worthy of the title 'Hero.' Two of the six have been my friends and rivals these last three years. To my left is Tristan, who I met on my 'first' day at the guild. He's sixteen years old, and one of the youngest graduates ever. He's been an apprentice in the guild since he was ten, and we were paired together as sparring partners. Fr the first week, he kicked my ass since he had training in combat. He's pretty arrogant and can get on peoples nerves, but he genuinely cares about others. He may have gloated after he beat me in every fight, but he did point out what it was I did wrong. I would spend hours every day at the arena practicing my sword movements, and after he saw me during my second week, he joined me and taught me what he knew. After four months I was able to match him evenly in a fight, thanks in part to my 'battle haze' as I dubbed it, and my growing reflexes. After a year I was able to win half of our fights in sword fights, which simply spurred our competitions on further.

Our combat styles are almost complete opposites since Tristan focuses on Strength, and his body shows it. He's about 5'7 in height, two inches shorter than me, but unlike me he can still grow taller. He has long blonde hair that falls past his shoulders, which is rare for any man to do during this time period. Nevertheless, Tristan enjoys winding people up, and his future status as a Hero will more than make up for it. Unlike my physique, Tristan resembles a bodybuilder, and focuses on hitting hard enough to cleave someone with one hit, or break enough bones they can't fight anymore. His two main weapons are a two handed axe, and a broadsword. He carries one or the other depending on how he feels on a certain day, although he will sometimes carry a smithing hammer alongside one of the others when he thinks pure force will be needed. He plans on donning full body plate armor sometime in the future, but he only owns leather armor at the moment, like all us apprentices do. The only will power he's focused on is the Berserker's Rush, which boosts his physical prowess for a time. He's decent enough at archery to hunt for his own food, but he isn't a sharpshooter. He essentially fulfills the Tank persona in our party. However he isn't an idiot by any means, and I was able to teach him to read and write, alongside how to count numbers. He comes from a remote village that was destroyed by a troll, which was apparently migrating. It passed through the village and destroyed some of the buildings there. When the villagers attacked the troll, it killed them all. Tristan's parents were killed, and he joined the Guild so he could protect others from the same fate that befell him.

To my left was the third and final member of our exclusive club; Katherine, although everyone calls her Kat. She's the tallest of our little group, at an even six feet. She also has blonde hair, although she keeps hers at her shoulders. She's the upbeat member of our group, who can always find the bright side of a situation. She focuses on archery, and is far better at it than anyone else at the guild, even the instructors. That isn't to say she has no skill with swordplay, because she knows enough to defend herself. She prefers longbows to crossbows, and carries a steel sword. The only Will power she learned was Multi Arrow, which causes magic arrows to form and shoot alongside any you shoot. It's a great bombardment technique, although it has its limits in confined spaces since the arrows tend to fly outwards before curving towards the target. Kat fulfills the support role in any group she joins, and is a great tracker, much better than I am, without enhancing my senses at least. Tristan introduced me to her a few days after we met, and the three of us became great friends. They met years ago, when they first joined the guild as apprentices, and became friends because neither of them had anyone else. Kat's parents planned to sell her to a noble who apparently fell in love with her when he passed by her village. She and her parents were never close, her parents had four kids, and she was the middle child. When she found out she was being sold, she ran away to the guild, stowing away on a passing caravan who was headed towards it. Thanks to the Guilds reputation the noble who was after her wasn't able to do anything.

Tristan, Kat and I have become an impromptu group of three over the last three years, and are a great team together. I do plan on striking out on my own after graduating, but Tristan and Kat plan on becoming a two man team. They've became a couple sometime a year ago, and I'd rather not be a third wheel between them. It's about time too; it was annoying watching them dance around their feelings for each other. I had to lock them in a room and yell out that they liked each other for anything to happen. Damned teenagers. While they later thanked me for doing that, they definitely made me suffer for embarrassing them.

Now, back to what the Guildmaster is saying.

"The seven of you stand before us today to begin your last step in your Guild training. Traditionally, the final exam would be a combat test against an instructor. However, this year we have more graduates than usual, and each of you have greater potential than usual. So in light of this, the seven of you will be divided into two groups, and each group will be assigned one of two quests we recently received."

The seven of us were pleasantly surprised, since we usually wouldn't receive a quest until after graduating. It makes me think if there's really such a shortage of heroes that we have to pick up the slack. If we're lucky there'll be some form of combat in these quests, instead of it being a random courier mission. At this point, Maze came forth with two different scrolls, and began splitting us up.

"The first group," he informed us, "will be Katherine, Tristan, and Dio." The three of us shared a glance at that, it was well known we worked best as a team and even Maze didn't want to split us up if necessary. For some reason, Maze really doesn't like me. While he hasn't tried to hinder my progress, I've caught him, glaring at me at times, but more specifically my hair. It's completely weird, and I have no idea why he does it. He must have a bad experience with someone else with silver hair, although I've yet to see anyone else with this hair color. As long as he doesn't get in my way, it doesn't really matter.

"The quest assigned to the three of you is to clear out a Hobbes den," he told us. "There's a cave a few miles south of Bowerstone, and children have been reported missing. Your mission will be to clear out the cave, and see if there are any children you can rescue. I believe there's no need to say that time is of the essence."

It's believed that Hobbes capture children and turn them into more Hobbes, although no one has actually witnessed the process. No one knows exactly how it is that Hobbes reproduce, because there's always more of them no matter how often their eradicated. If the three of us are lucky, we'll be back to the Guild by the end of the week. I could Maze's eyes boring into me, but like always I pretended not to notice. The dude needs to chill. Then he turned to the other four apprentices.

"Susan, David, Sarah, and Michael the quest you four will be doing is escorting a barge up the Makova River. They're transporting a shipment of gold up the river, and they want some sort of protection. There's a chance nothing will happen, but they would rather have some form of protection."

I could see neither of them was satisfied with the quest, they're probably disappointed there's no chance of combat. I really can't understand these heroes sometimes, they're always eager to fight and to make a name for themselves. Sarah and Michael are even glaring at the three of us, probably angry that we'll be killing Hobbes. None of them seem to realize that the barge may be attacked, and that the alternative would have been a combat exam against one of the instructors. They'll probably let their guard down and start drinking and I can already see the entire expedition turn out to be an inside job by the guards already there.

The Guildmaster then addressed the four of us. "I hope you all remember that from the moment you step beyond the Guild gates, you represent us all. Carry yourselves with the pride and dignity befitting of a Hero, and give no one quarter to disgrace either you or the Guild. "

He pierced us with that stare of his, the one that all old men have when they're imparting some form of wisdom, and we all stood up a little straighter under his gaze. I've never met anyone as inspiring as Weaver is. He's the type of person that always seems to know everything that's going on, and the type that can resolve any problem. Nostro really knew what he was doing when he made Weaver the Guildmaster.

Maze handed each group the scrolls with the quest information, and the seven of use separated into our groups, and then went on to prepare.

"Can you believe it," said Kat, "we actually get to do a quest without first graduating. How many times do you think this has happened?"

'I doubt it's happened many times," I replied, "it isn't usually done because most apprentices aren't ready for combat. We're exceptions to that rule."

"Of course we are," said Tristan, "the three of us are the best in the Guild. Why do you think we were the ones chosen to exterminate the Hobbes? It's because were the strongest three here. I just wish it wasn't a group of filthy Hobbes that we have to exterminate. How hard can they really be to kill?"

"Individually they aren't very powerful," I told him, "but there have been cases of Heroes killed by Hobbes because they were ambushed by dozens of Hobbes, or got caught in one of their traps."

"Traps?" he scoffed, "What kind of traps can a group of filthy animals like Hobbes actually make?"

"Actually Tristan," Kat told him, "Hobbes have been recorded of making pit falls, and ambushing people by the dozens. They may be filthy, but they're intelligent to some degree."

"Bah it isn't like it matters. Once the three of us get there, we'll exterminate those filthy pests and become recognized as the Heroes we are!"

"Chill out there man," I told him, "we still need to get there first and kill them. If you get too excited now you'll just be disappointed if there's only a few Hobbes."

"You're so boring Dio," Kat told me, "where's your sense of adventure?"

"I'm not boring! I'm just being realistic. Besides, killing Hobbes isn't anything to get excited about anyways."

"I guess you're right Dio," said Tristan. "Besides, while we stand around here chatting, there are children in danger. We should get what we need and meet back here in ten minutes?"

Kat and I nodded at that idea, and we all split up. I headed to my room to prepare my supplies. One of the items Rover gifted me was what is traditionally called a bag of holding. It looks like a modern sports backpack, although to everyone else it looks different. Kat and Tristan said it looked like a normal sack to them. Rover inscribed his personal symbol into it, which looks similar to a circle with weird symbols in it. Staring at it too long gives me a headache. I could store anything into it, and retrieve it by just thinking about what I want. He explained that it has its own mini dimension in it, and even food is preserved when stored inside it. I soaked it in my blood, which I gathered slowly for several months, so no one else can access it and steal anything. It's probably my most prized possession at the moment; since it's the one thing I currently have no way of reproducing, although space distortion is definitely something I'll be researching in the future. It simply has so many uses, and can make normal life much easier.

As I passed between two buildings as a shortcut, Rover burst out from the shadows, and I almost jumped out of my skin. The damn bastard has always enjoyed scaring me, and does it whenever he can. There have been times where he pops up just to scare me, and leaves. At least he usually has something important to say.

"Once again, you're a fucking bastard you know that Rover?" He just grinned at that, and even though I know he does it because of my reactions, I can't help it. It's almost like a ritual between us, and I don't really want it to stop. Not that I'll ever tell him that.

"Aww, you're so sweet to me Dio. Don't act like you don't enjoy these meetings in dark corners with no one else around as much as I do."

"….you just had to say it like that didn't you? You're such a creep."

"Such cold words! And after all that we've been through together! It brings a tear to my Quasar."

"Stop screwing around Rover. Is there a reason you're here? I'm in a bit of a hurry."

"Yes I know I've kept tabs on you for the last few weeks. I knew you would be sent on a quest soon, and I felt like I should inform you about what's going to happen. However don't worry; I've slowed down time around us so we can have this conversation without any rush."

I felt a shiver run up my spine when he said that. Bad news from a god of chaos is never good. I also noticed how the world around us looked greyed out, and all noises stopped. I need to pay more attention, if I couldn't notice this until he pointed it out. He conjured some chairs for us, and we sat down. "All right then, what do you need to tell me?"

"The first thing that I want you to understand is that I'm not doing this of my own free will. You mortals believe that gods are the epitome of freedoms, but there are many rules we have to follow, and that goes doubly so for gods like me, who represent order or chaos. We have to maintain equilibrium in everything we do, although we are allowed a certain degree of leeway. Are you with me so far?"

I nodded. "I assume there's some sort of entity that maintains stability throughout the universes?"

"There is, although it doesn't exactly have a consciousness like you or I. It's more of an entity whose only directive is making sure everything runs smoothly. When something goes wrong, or a being deviates from its set path, this entity comes along and resets everything, which is usually fatal for all involved. Now, the reason this concerns you is that I've reached the point where I need to cause some actual chaos in your life. I've helped you out in as many things as I could, and now I'm forced to make things difficult for you. The only reason I've been able to avoid doing this for so long and assist you so much, is because displacing you in different directions is an act of chaos in and of itself."

"I…see," I replied. "And how exactly are you supposed to make things difficult?"

"It isn't a physical act, what I need to do is let my power loose, and it will influence whatever is supposed to happen. This could be a good or bad thing, as chaos itself can't be defined into good or evil. You could end up having good fortune and find a mine for valuable metals, or things could go down the crapper and someone dies. It's completely random, and even I have no idea what may happen."

"I see," I repeated. "And how often will something like this happen?" While I wasn't expecting something like this to happen when I woke up today, there really isn't anything I can do about it. This is something out of either of our control, and Rover at least is upfront about it.

"Not often actually. This is only happening because I've helped you out too much these last three years, and after the scale is stable, it shouldn't happen anymore."

"Scales?" I asked, "There's an actual way to keep track of this?"

"Of course there is," he replied. "What, did you think we have some complicated way of finding out? No, it's pretty simple. There's a scale for each God of order and chaos, and each scale is connected to one large scale that oversees all the multiverses. Our personal scales tell us if we're in danger of leaning too far in one direction. For example, this is mine"

He held out his hand, and the surrounding shadows amassed in his hand. When they receded, there was an actual scale in his hand. On the center of it is what seems to be Cthulhu, and its arms extended to its sides. On its left side it was what looked like a weird pyramid, as its pieces were assembled in a random order. That's probably chaos. The right side had a completed pyramid, which probably represented chaos. The scales were slightly tilted towards the finished pyramid, and even the Cthulhu figurine seems to lean towards it.

"This is definitely the coolest scale I've seen," I told him.

"Why thank you, I decorated it as best I could. I chose pyramids because they require precision to assemble correctly. As you can see, the scales lean towards order. Even a slight disparity between them isn't allowed. Thankfully the imbalance is small, so I'm allowed to leave everything to chance this time."

"And what would happen if there was a larger contrast between them?"

"At that point I would be forced to do something drastic to rebalance the scales. The destruction that would ensue would be at the level of a world war. We all do the best we can so things never reach that point, but even we slip up at times. I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't pay attention during these last three years; I really shouldn't have let things reach this point. Some of my chaos essence has rubbed off on you, and it was probably that which caused you to be attacked by the Balverines last year. There'll always be a degree of chaos for the rest of your life, and there's nothing that can be done about it. Your luck, whether good or bad, has essentially been permanently enhanced. For this, you have my sincerest apologies."

"I'm not blaming you for this; I did after all ask you for help. There's a consequence for everything, and it's time that I pay the piper."

He smiled at that. "It's that attitude that makes you so interesting; you understand the truths of the world, and actually deal with what life throws at you instead of bitching about it . I was lucky that you were the one to release me, instead of a generic boring hero. A plus about being 'cursed' by me is that you will become more charismatic. While this is nowhere near as effective as mind control, convincing others will become much easier for you. You've probably felt its effects this last year."

"And I was lucky that I found you. This is something that both of us benefitted from, and like any true partnership, we both share the blame. Now, is there anything about this that you can tell me?"

"Only that it has to do with what you find in the cave. My advice is that you be careful, because anything can happen. You might stumble across a troll in the caves, or the caves could have collapsed by the time you get there, killing all the Hobbes inside. It truly is random, and I have no way to see what will happen. You're basically on your own in this."

"That isn't completely true; I'll have Kat and Tristan with me. We should be able to deal with anything we find there. How many other times will this happen?"

"It should only be a few more time, but everything depends on what actually happens. It's the results that determine the equality, not what is changed. There's always a chance that the same exact outcome may come about, and in that instance the scales wouldn't change."

"That makes sense. Well then, is there anything else that you want to tell me? I'd rather get this over with; worrying about it will end up giving me an ulcer."

"No, that was it. Just be careful, if you die I'll be facing boredom again."

"I'm so glad my life amuses you so well. However, I'm sure you have access to a universe with T.V.? I'm sure you could find something there to amuse you."

He simply smiled at that, but didn't say anything back. He simply dissipated away, and the world seemed to go back to normal.

" _This is just great,"_ I thought as I headed towards my room. " _Of course something to complicate everything would happen. And if that isn't lovely enough, I'm apparently cursed by a god of chaos. Knowing my luck, I'll win the lottery, and then I'll be mugged for my money. Lovely. What else can go- no; I won't jinx myself by saying that. It never ends up well."_

As I passed through the compulsion barrier that Rover set up and entered my room, I was immediately blitzed by a silver blur. This blur is Irene, the silver fairy that was interested in my eyes and hair color a few years ago. A few months after I began training my Will powers I was heading towards my room, I saw a light repeatedly leave and return from the hallway. I sneaked over to see what it was, and I saw a fairy approach my room, only for the compulsion field to turn her away. It was cute and funny; she would leave to take care of something, only to realize that some kind of spell was affecting her, and get mad. Unlike humans, fairies were much more sensitive to Will energy than humans, and she could sense the field around my room. When I tried approaching her, she flew over and landed on my shoulder. I had no way to communicate with her, so I took her to my room since she was so eager to get inside.

When we arrived in my room she flew in front of me and began to glow brighter. I could feel her gathering her energy, but before I could react she completed whatever she was doing, and her energy flew towards me. When it hit me I noticed that there was no intent to harm me, so I let her continue whatever she was doing. Eventually her magic latched on to mine, and created a sort of bond between us. She then started speaking to me telepathically, and explained that what she did was forge a temporary bond between us, not unlike a familiar's bond. The bond was the only way for us to communicate, and she said she hoped to make a permanent one between us. She clarified that the fairies had taken an interest in me because of my Will powers, and she was chosen as my representative because we had met before. They thought that I would go on to do great things, and wanted to stake a claim from the beginning. While I could have denied forming a bond with her, she explained the benefits a bond would provide. We would be able so speak telepathically, so she could scout an area and tell me what she sees. The only drawback would be that she would be able to draw on my Will energy, but it isn't necessary. But the reason I decided to form a bond with her is because she has access to fairy spells, a branch of Will accessible only to them. It was too great of a chance to pass up, and from what I could remember, a familiar is always a great help to any spell caster. The fact that Irene is capable of higher order thinking is a big bonus.

The bond was simple to form; we simply extended our Will energy towards each other and melded them. A permanent bond between us was formed, and we can always tell where the other is, and we can also communicate telepathically. Both effects have a limited range, but it's increased over the last year, and it works for a few hundred meters now. At first Irene would only visit me for a few days every couple of weeks, but as we got to know each other better we spent more time together. She would tell me about fairy society, their history and customs. While I know there's much she hasn't told me, I probably know more about their culture than any other human alive. Irene also helped me explore my Will powers, as a fairy her thought process is very different than a human. It was her who gave me the idea to enhance myself physically using Will energy, and she's helped and encouraged me with everything else throughout the years. I in turn told her about myself; how I didn't really have amnesia, and a little about my past. I never told her about Rover or that I'm from a different dimension, but I will eventually. She also loves to feed on my Will energy, which according to her is the sweetest she's ever tasted. She eats my energy daily until she's satisfied, but with my large reserves it isn't a danger, it's probably a quarter of my amount. Thanks to her feeding on me energy, it's had to grow larger to accommodate the drain.

Irene flew over and sat down on my shoulder, her favorite position to be. She likes to hitch a ride on my shoulder so she doesn't have to fly to get anywhere. What a lazy fairy. I could feel her form a mental connection between us.

" _What's wrong,"_ she asked, " _you feel worried. Has something happened?"_ Our mental connection also allows us to feel whatever emotions the other is feeling if they're strong enough, so we can rarely hide anything from the other.

" _Kat, Tristan and I just received a quest as a graduation exam,"_ I told her, " _we need to clear out a cave of Hobbes. Normally I wouldn't be worried about that, but I have a bad feeling. It feels as if something bad is going to happen."_ I felt bad about lying to her, but I couldn't tell her about Rover without his permission.

" _Are you sure it isn't just nerves Dio? While you might have fought enemies stronger than Hobbes, only you and Rose survived your last fight."_

" _You're right, it could be that. Nevertheless, I would rather be prepared and worry over nothing, than not be, and one of us dies."_

The first thing I need to collect is my dimensional pack. I've stored food inside that I've smuggled over the years. I also have spare arrows inside, along with a spare sword. My local medical supplies are also in there, along with some spare clothes. I took out my map from my cabinet, and also stored it away. I made sure my leather armor is securely fastened, along with my waterskin and sword. Satisfied I'm ready, I turn to Irene.

" _Is there anything you think I'm missing?"_ I asked her.

" _Not that I can think of_ " she replied. " _I wish I could go with you, but….."_ she trailed off in the ending there, but I know what she means. The fairies are preparing for the annual ritual they do every winter solstice. Irene couldn't tell me much about the ritual itself, only that it cleansed them, and gave them a boost in power.

" _It's not a problem,"_ I told her, _"I understand why you can't go. And besides,"_ I said with a smirk, " _with your size you might be accidentally sat on. We wouldn't want that would we?"_

She frowned heavily at that, she's always hated when I make fun of her size. I can't help it really, she's simply too cute.

" _I can't believe you said that you ass!"_ she said, beating me on the head. I just laughed at her, knowing she isn't really mad. She outed when I laughed at her, and sat on my shoulder looking away. I shook my head at her antics, and walked out of my room with her. Even now, three years later, I had to personally escort her in or out of my room. I definitely have to learn how to set up these barriers. I headed over to the waterfall, knowing Irene wouldn't want to fly there.

" _Well,"_ I said, _"this is it. I'll see you when I come back, ok?"_

" _Yeah, we'll see each other then. Just…come back safe, alright?"_

I smiled at that, she truly is a great friend, the bond between us allowing us to grow closer as friends than normal. There are no uncertainties between us, as we know what the other is thinking. While we can hide certain things from each other, we usually don't. I never had many friends growing up, so Irene is a breath of fresh air, someone who likes me for who I am. Her childishness always manages to calm me down, and I act more like a child when around her.

" _Of course I'll come back safely,"_ I told her. " _I'm the 'silver mage' remember? I'm unbeatable!"_

" _Of course you are,"_ she said giggling. " _Well then, I'll see you again when you return."_ With that she flew away and joined the other fairies. I watched her for a moment longer, and then walked away to the guild entrance. Kat and Tristan were already there, speaking with the Guildmaster. They all looked over as I arrived.

"Have everything you need princess, asked Tristan, "or do you need more time to prepare?"

I rolled my eyes at that. "No you prick, I have everything I need. I just needed to return Irene to the other fairies." I then looked at the Guildmaster. "The three of us are ready," I told him, "is there anything else we need to know?"

"Not that I can think of," he responded. "Just be careful out there. There are already too few of us Heroes around to lose any of you so early. While the three of you are much more skilled than the average apprentice, no one can account for everything. Keep your eyes open, and never underestimate your enemies. Hobbes may not be powerful individually, but they can be crafty, especially if a fairy is leading them."

The three of us nodded at that, and the Guildmaster led us to the guild gates. The gates opened and the blinding sunlight illuminated the hall. The three of us shared a look and nodded, and together stepped forward, taking the first step on our first quest. We would all later regret what we found in that damned cave, the ones who were alive at least.


	5. Chapter 5

**The amount of people that read my story doubled with the last chapter. I'm not sure if that means there are many people who like it, so I ask that some of you please review. I'd like to know what others think of my story, whether good or bad. I did get a message asking if Dio would be OP. No, he won't be. He is pretty powerful, but he couldn't defeat Thunder for instance. He couldn't defeat Bellatrix Black, but he could defeat Lucius Malfoy. I hope those are good references. He may become OP in the (very) distant future, after he goes to a few worlds. He will eventually be able to fight on par with Voldemort and Dumbledore, but that's only because of his enhanced physical abilities and Will powers from the Fable world. Dio can't account for every instance, and he can't save everyone, as this chapter shows. I do enjoy answering questions about my story, so please ask! I want to eventually start a forum for the story, but I have no clue if I even have a fan base.**

"Speech"= A normal conversation

"Speech"= Thoughts, telepathy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or Fable; they belong to JK Rowling and Microsoft respectively. I only own Dio, and I make no money off of this story.

-Skip-Clip-Rip-Dip-

To our collective misfortune, our destination was around two days from the guild. The three of us agreed to head to Bowerstone and speak to the guards there; they may have some information that might help us. Of course, the three of us were also interested in seeing Bowerstone itself, for separate reasons. Tristan wants to see the various armor and weapons sold, so he can have an idea for what to buy in the future. Kat, predictably, wants to see what new clothes there are available. The Guild outfit is, apparently, 'drab' and 'boring'. It's official, this is a problem related to the X chromosome. Tristan doesn't see what the big deal about clothes is, while I'm used too much higher quality than anything this world can provide, so Kat is usually alone In her excitement. I want to go to Bowerstone to compare cities of this age to what I know about them.

The walk from the Guild to the city was uneventful. There were no travelers, so the three of us were alone. We hurried towards Bowerstone, eager to get there as quickly as possible. We didn't need to make small, having spent so much time with each other we're comfortable enough with the other's presence. We hurried towards Bowerstone, knowing that the lives of children depended on how fast we were. We were able to see Bowerstone in the distance, but we were still hours away from the entrance.

It took us twelve hours to just get to Bowerstone, twelve hours of straight walking under the sun. I decided that I had to learn some form of teleportation, and soon. After spending an entire life using cars, I simply don't have the patience to walk so much for my entire life. We would have a form of teleportation when we received our Guild seals, but we would be limited to Cullis Gates. While thankfully Bowerstone does have a gate, and so does the Guild, they aren't scattered everywhere. I'll ask Rover if he has any ideas the next time I see him.

We finally reached the gates into Bowerstone, and I was both impressed and disappointed. The gates are massive, so opening and closing them can only be done from within, or with siege engines. The gates themselves span for what looked to be miles in either direction, and were thankfully made of stone, and I could see a few towers from here. There were embrasures for archers every few feet, and there are probably parapets between the towers. I couldn't see the entire wall from here, but it did look impressive. However, everything else fell flat. There are only two guards at the gate, and neither is keeping a lookout, as they haven't yet noticed us coming. I can't see a single guards walking on top of the walls, or a single one walking within the embrasures. While I'll reserve judgement until I see the inside of the city, the city doesn't seem to be prepared for an invasion of any kind. Weaver once told me that normal people have grown dependent on Heroes to solve all of their problems, and I can see how true that is.

"The city looks impressive doesn't it?" asked Kat.

"Of course it does," replied Tristan. "It's Bowerstone, the cornerstone of civilization. The villages we come from can't compare to this."

It almost seemed as if they both had stars in their eyes, which I can understand; while this city is nothing impressive by my standards, its uncharted territory to both of them. I'd rather not burst their bubble yet, so I'll keep my pessimism to myself.

"So what's our plan," I asked, "should we head to the guard barracks and ask about the quest there, or ask the first few guards we see?" I'm still on edge about what Rover told me earlier, so I'd rather give them two choices and let them choose, making it seem like it's a group decision. Manipulative I know, but I need them both to be focused on our quest.

"We'll just be laughed at if we ask for help at the barracks," Tristan said. "It's just wiping out a group of Hobbes; we'll never live down the shame if we ask for help."

Kat rolled her eyes at that, but she probably thought the same. Excessive pride is a problem with Heroes, and they tend not to ask for help unless they absolutely have to.

"In that case," I replied, "let's ask the two at the gates. If we're lucky they aren't idiots and can tell us something. Does the scroll tell us how many children have been reported missing?" I asked Kat. She took out the scroll and read it before responding.

"Seven children were reported missing. Six of their families live in Bowerstone, although no names were given. The family of the seventh child lives in Darkhouth village, which is two days west of Bowerstone. We're supposed to bring the children to the guard barracks at Bowerstone, where they'll be taken to their families."

I could see Tristan growing angry at the mention of the children taken, although Kat just looked confused. Hobbes usually only take two or three children at most, so taking seven children is extremely rare. It worries me, because there's probably more going on behind the scenes than just Hobbes.

"Does it say when the children first started to go missing?" I asked. "If it happened too long ago, some of the children are either dead, or have already been turned into Hobbes."

Tristan glared at me for saying that, but didn't argue. At least he knows the world isn't always a nice place, but he needs to accept that we can't save everyone.

"The latest was a week ago. There was a caravan coming to Bowerstone attacked by Hobbes. The survivors told the guards that Hobbes were the attackers, and they had taken their children. Other children went missing, and it's assumed that the Hobbes took them also."

" _How lovely,"_ I thought. _"The Hobbes abduct one group of children, and they're then blamed for all other missing children. It would be a great cover for anyone else to take or murder children. I wonder if anyone else has realized that?"_

"They've taken so many…" said Tristan. "In that case we need to hurry up. We'll ask these two guards if they know anything, and keep moving. "

I saw Kat's face fall at that, and I had to cheer her up.

"Look at it this way", I said, "you only need to wait one more week. Then when you do come to Bowerstone, you'll have the reward from the quest with you. You'll be able to buy what you want, instead of just looking."

She smiled at that, and then started to daydream, probably about what she wants to buy. Definitely something in the X chromosome.

It took us another half hour to arrive at the Bowerstone gates, and we immediately headed to talk to the guards on duty.

"Excuse us," said Tristan, "we'd like to ask you a question."

The two guards turned towards us, visibly annoyed at having been interrupted. "What do you want kid," one of them said.

"The three of us are with the Heroes' Guild, and we're here about the Hobbes that took the children." One of the Guards perked up when he mentioned that.

"I heard about that. Them damn Hobbes took a couple of kids. What could we possibly tell you though?"

"We just need you to point us in the right direction. If there's anything else you can tell us that may help, it'd be much appreciated."

Both men thought for a moment, before they looked at each other and the one who spoke before shook his head.

"Sorry kids, there's not much we can tell you. Hobbes aren't exactly a big focus, even if they have taken children. I can tell you where they've been spotted, as all guards have been told to be on the lookout in case any appear. Head directly east from here, there's a clearing a few miles in that direction. There's a giant tree there, and on one side of it you'll find the cave where the Hobbes were seen. There isn't anything else we can tell you, is there bob?" He turned to his partner, who just shook his head.

I nodded at them. "Thank you both for your time. Let's go you two; the faster we get there the faster we're done with all this."

We headed towards east, towards the forest, and I sighed.

"Walking again," I said. "Why can't where we're going ever be close? It's always miles away, and we always have to walk there. I'd love a horse right now. Or some freaking shade."

"Stop complaining princess," said Kat, "it's just walking. It's a great workout. I think. No, you know what; I agree with you, this shit sucks"

"Of course I'm right, I'm always right."

"Of course you are Dio" said Tristan, "and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. You're a very 'special' individual, and we'll always love you." He and Kat laughed at that, and I flicked them off. "At least when we get our Guild seals we won't have to walk everywhere."

The rest of the trip continued in silence, until we came across a herd of deer. Kat shot one down, and we dismembered it. I managed to convince Tristan to make camp and eat. He wanted to continue on and get this over with, but I reminded him that we've already covered miles without eating. We still had to fight the Hobbes, and we have no clue when we'll be able to eat again. It's better to have our energy now than die during a fight because we were weak from a lack of food.

When we finally arrived at the clearing where the cave is, it was nighttime. We decided not to make a light of some kind until we get in the cave, so the Hobbes wouldn't ambush us. The tree that the guard talked about was in the middle of the clearing, and it's massive. It's at least a hundred feet high, and twenty feet wide, and it was situated on top of a mound. If it was still daytime I'm sure the tree would block all sunlight here. We walked around the tree until we found the cave we're looking for. The animal bones and scraps of clothes littered around the entrance told us this was the correct cave. I gathered my energy and created a mage light, illuminating the entrance. Thankfully the cave is large enough for us to stand up straight, which is great since not all places where Hobbes live are accessible by humans, since most Hobbes are only three feet tall.

"How should we go about this," Tristan asked.

"You go first," I responded, "since you're the strongest. I'll go behind you and Kat behind me. If you see a Hobbe, don't immediately engage. Let one of us kill it quietly. If they do spot us, try to separate so we don't get in each other's way. I'll go to the left, you go to the right Tristan, and we let Kat take the middle. That way all sides are covered, and we can all play to our strengths. Agreed?" They both nodded, and we walked inside.

" _Well Alice,"_ I thought, _"time to jump down the rabbit hole. But will we get back out?"_

-Skip-Clip-Rip-Dip-

Contrary to my fears, we didn't die horrible deaths immediately after we entered the cave. There was nothing at first, just long corridors that twisted and turned. At least each twist and turn only had one choice in where to go, so there's no chance we'll get lost on our return. We each had a mage light; agreeing that being able to see where we're going is worth the risk. We kept silent as we walked, wanting to make as little noise as possible. After what felt like an hour, but realistically was only about ten minutes, we heard a noise ahead of us. We shared a glance and turned off our lights, and took out our weapons. After a few more minutes we could hear what sounded like some form of speech, although none of us understood what was said.

We stepped out onto a large cavern, thankfully illuminated by some form of light. Ahead of us we could see three Hobbes with their backs turned to us, and I have to admit that they're ugly fuckers. The stood at about three feet tall, and were wide for their size. Their skin color was all grey, although I knew that stronger Hobbes were red. They had patched clothing on them, probably pilfered from humans they've killed. They all have bat like ears, and small eyes. Their hands end in claws, so even without a conventional weapon they're dangerous. One of them carried a sword, while the other two carried clubs. They were gathered around something, but their bodies blocked whatever it was from view. I gestured at Tristan to wait, and I could see Kat take aim at one behind me.

"Fire at the one farthest to the left," I told her, "I'll take the two on the right. We shoot at the count of three." She nodded at that, and nocked her arrow, while I gathered my Will energy in each hand. I counted down from three, and shot a wind scythe at each Hobbe when I reached one. Kat's arrow hit the Hobbe in the head, killing it. My attacks struck both Hobbes in the midsection, cutting them cleanly in half. All three Hobbes dies without making a noise, and we approached them. As we got closer we were able to see what the three Hobbes were gathered around; a dead person, his head bashed open. The Hobbes were probably looting him. I proceeded to do the same to them, but none of them carried anything useful.

"What do you think this poor sod was doing here," Tristan asked.

"Probably one of the parents looking for their child," Kat replied. "Come on, lets save the kids so no one else ends up like this."

We looked around to see where to go, and we saw a Hobbe come out of another corridor a few meters in front of us. It hadn't seen us yet, so I gestured towards it to Kat and Tristan. They nodded, and we walked forward. Kat shot an arrow at this Hobbe also, killing it. I used a mirror to look into the passage, and when I saw nothing we all entered. I could tell we were on the right track, as there was trash littered everywhere in this cave. We could hear many Hobbes ahead, and we got prepared for a fight.

"How should we do this," I asked.

"Dio you and I attack," Tristan whispered, "and Kat covers us. Ill charge ahead and draw their attention and you attack whoever you can. Kat, you shoot any Hobbes far from us. Dio, don't let them surround us. Use your Will for crowd control. You all Ready?"

"Wait," I whispered. "We should make noise and gather them to us." They made incredulous faces at that, so I explained. "We're in an enclosed space, so space is limited. Hobbes are idiots, so if we make noise they'll run over here to investigate. As they approach, we attack them from afar. The bodies will pile up, slowing them down. If too many come we move back to the cavern behind us. We don't know whats ahead, so we should be careful."

Kat nodded at that idea. "That would be more effective."

"I agree," said Tristan. He stepped aside and let Kat and I get ready to shoot. I'll use my bow; I'd rather save my energy until I need it. "Dio it's your idea, so you should attract them."

I nodded. "OI, YOU UGLY PIG FUCKERS," I yelled, "FRESH MEAT OVER HERE, COME AND GET IT"

For a split second all the noise stopped, until it grew louder than before. Shadows could be seen approaching us, and I tensed in anticipation. Two Hobbes appeared in the front of the cave, and Kat and I shot them. We established long ago that I would always shoot foes to the left and she would shoo foes to the right, that way we don't shoot the same enemy. Both Hobbes died, but five more took their place.

The opening where the Hobbes are swarming from is only thirty feet away, so Kat and I were able to kill four of those five Hobbes, with Tristan killing the remaining one. He had his great sword pulled back, so when the Hobbe got within striking distance he simply swung and sliced it in half. By this time though at least a dozen other Hobbes were coming at us, so I let go of my bow. I drew on my Will energy and let loose a torrent of fire. My flames aren't yet hot enough to kill someone, but all creatures instinctively fear fire. The Hobbes at the front of the pack were burned, and the ones behind them stopped their advance for a split second. We took advantage of that moment; Kat shot as many Of the Hobbes as she could, and killed the ones at the forefront, allowing Tristan and I to charge forward. I drew my sword with my right hand and let loose a torrent of lightning with my left. It shocked them and would give us a few moments where they won't be able to attack, which is just what we need. Tristan went forward first, his larger blade allowing him to cleave two Hobbes with one swing. Their dead bodies were flung back, stumbling the ones behind them. I swung at the Hobbe nearest to me, decapitating it. At the same time I drew my power onto my left hand and let loose another stream of fire, causing the remaining Hobbes to once again step back. Kat managed to kill three more Hobbes during this time, leaving four left.

Two of them jumped at me, swinging their iron swords, but I could easily read their movements. I shot a bolt at lightning at the Hobbe on the left, which pierced him and sent him back away from me. The second one was already on me, so I blocked his strike. There's a decent amount of force behind the strike for such a short creature, but there's little to no skill. Instead of locking our blades in a battle of strength I let his sword seemingly push mine away, while moving to the opposite side that he swing to. The Hobbes momentum moved him forward, and I ended up behind him. Before it could figure out I was no longer in front of it I also finished it off with a lightning bolt.

Tristan took care of one of the remaining two quickly; he just swung at it as hard as he could. It tried to block his strike, but the force Tristan put behind it tore the creature's blade from its grubby hands when it struck. It stared at its hands dumbly, as if it couldn't figure out where its weapon went. Tristan kicked it in its center, and it fell onto its back. Before it could get back up he stabbed it, leaving one Hobbe left.

When said Hobbe realized that it facing us alone, it turned heel and ran. Hobbes have never been brave creatures individually, they rely on numbers to overwhelm their opponents. However, I couldn't let it alert the other Hobbes to our presence, so I shot a lightning bolt at it. The great thing about Hobbes is they wear no armor, so they don't require much effort to kill. We looted the corpses, specifically looking for any intact arrows.

"Well, your idea worked like a charm Dio," said Tristan. "If all our battles go like this one then we'll be done in no time."

"Maybe," I replied. "We still haven't found any of the children, and I expect that's where most of the Hobbes will be at. There were a dozen here, and four Hobbes outside. In most places that would make an entire Hobbe pack. If these are the advance guard so to speak, how many do you expect to find inside?"

"Assume the worst so nothing surprises you, right?" asked Kat. "It was one of our first lessons. Either way we should move forward, and be careful."

We entered the cavern that the Hobbes emerged from, but we didn't find anything useful. There was a fire in a corner, and dead animals littered the floor in various states of decay. No signs of children anywhere, or pools of blood large enough to belong to a child.

There's a chasm in this cavern, and we could see more Hobbes on the other side of it. There seems to be a cave complex in front of us that connects these two caverns, and it shouldn't take more than a few minutes to arrive on the other side. The shocking part is the sheer amount of Hobbes located on the other side. It seems to be a sea of bodies, there's easily a few hundred Hobbes over there, way more than the three of us will be able to kill. Worse than that though, are the three floating lights that flitter through the air above the Hobbes.

"Fairies," Tristan spat. "That's fucking perfect. It makes sense now, the only times Hobbes behave this erratically is when fairies are somehow involved. What do you think they want?"

"Nothing good," said Kat, "the damn fairies are always looking to screw something up. I doubt that they took the kids just to make them Hobbes. Any ideas?"

"We need to get closer," I said. "We can't see anything from here, and we should try to find the children before anything else. If things spiral into a fight, we run. The three of us aren't able to kill a few hundred Hobbes, and dark fairies are unpredictable. I brought some oil with me, so if we can get into one of the corridors we arrived from I'll be able to set it on fire, which may dissuade the Hobbes from following us."

"And the fairies," asked Tristan. "They fly, so attacking them isn't going to be easy."

"We're aiming to not have to fight at all, although I doubt that's going to happen. If we do have to fight the fairies, Kat you should use your multi arrow spell. I'll attack a different one with Will, and if we're lucky we might be able to kill one, but remember: we're looking to distract and run. We're outnumbered, and the children are a priority, not making a name for ourselves. There'll be time for that when we return to exterminate the vermin with backup."

"And how exactly are we going to find the children," asked Kat. "There are a few hundred Hobbes between us and wherever they are, we might be noticed before we ever find the children."

I picked up one of the dead Hobbes. "We pour their blood on us," I said. Both of them looked at me as if I'm crazy. I probably am, but that isn't the point. "The Hobbes won't be able to smell us if we cover ourselves in their blood. As long as we don't draw any attention to ourselves then we should be able to sneak past them. The children we're looking for can't be very far, the entire hoard is here."

"Dio," Kat said, "do you have any idea how long it'll take for the smell of Hobbe blood to get out of my hair?" I gave her a look, and she at least had the decency to look ashamed.

"I know that this isn't the cleanest solution, but it's either do this, or give up and go back. Unless either of you have an alternate idea?" They both shook their heads, so I went over to a dead Hobbe and opened it up. I poured its blood on me, making sure to get as much of my body covered as I could. Kat and Tristan did the same, albeit begrudgingly. It took three Hobbes to cover myself adequately, and I turned to the other two when I finished.

"Are you two ready?" They nodded, although Kat looked really uncomfortable. "Then let's go. Standard formation and we'll hold hands. Tap Morse code to communicate if you notice anything." Morse code is one of my favorite things to use, since no one else in Albion knows it. It took me a few months, but I managed to teach it to Kat and Tristan, and it's made our missions easier.

We entered the caves that connected this side of the canyon to the side with the Hobbes, with Tristan in front, followed by me and then Kat. We each took hold of the others hand and I taped out a message. 'Keep on the lookout for the children, if we're lucky they'll be here. Also watch out in case we're seen.' They both tapped back that they understood, and we began to walk forward.

Unfortunately for us, the only thing we found in the cave passage was a few lone Hobbes. I killed them silently with wind scythes, but there still isn't any sign of the children we're looking for anywhere. I just hope they're alive, and that the Hobbes haven't eaten them yet, or worse.

We finally reached the opening where the Hobbes are at, and we tentatively stepped out. The Hobbes horde has their backs turned to us and is about fifty meters away from us, so we're safe from being seen for now. The fairies are still flitting through the air, so need to hurry up. At least Hobbes are stupid, so we may just make it out of here. I manipulated the wind around us to blow away from the Hobbe horde, there's less of a chance they may smell us, and created a barrier of wind at our feet, so we aren't actually stepping on the floor, so our footsteps won't sound.

I felt Kat tap a message into my hand; 'cave ahead.' I looked forward and saw it, and thankfully it's away from where the Hobbes are at the moment. I passed the message onto Tristan, and we walked towards the cave. When we neared it, I passed my mirror to Tristan and sent him a message. 'Let me kill any Hobbes inside.' He nodded, and looked inside. 'Three, spread out, one facing, and one up' he messaged back. I nodded, and prepared to go inside. I walked in and was immediately seen by the first Hobbe. It stared at me curiously, as if it couldn't figure me out. Maybe they use smell as much as sight? I shot a wind scythe at it, and scanned for the other two. One was on a rocky platform above us, and the other was walking into a room in front of us. I signaled to Kat to shoot the one above us, and ran towards the room.

We hit the jackpot inside; the missing children were there, in separate cages. Four guards were inside; the one who just entered the room, two on the far side of the room, and one taunting one of the children. The two on the far side of the room I killed with a wind scythe. The one who just entered the room turned around, and I decapitated him. The Hobbe taunting the children saw me, and it let out a yell and charged at me. I killed that one with a wind scythe also, and Tristan and Kat entered the room.

"So they are alive…." whispered Kat.

"Yes, they are," I said. "Kat, keep an eye out. One of the Hobbes yelled, and some of them may come to investigate. Stay hidden, and if too many come for you to quietly kill then let us know. Tristan, help me get these kids out."

There are four different cages in the room, and we each went to the ones nearest to us. The first cage has two different kids inside of it, although most of their bodies are covered by rags.

"Hey," I whispered, "get up you two; we're here to rescue you."

Neither of them stirred at that, which is odd. The cage is locked by a single wooden bar holding the gate down, so I lifted it up, using wind to help me lift it. I set it down and opened the cage, yet neither of the children are reacting at all. Hopefully they're simply asleep. I reached out and pulled back the covers, although I had to hold back a curse at what I saw. Both of the children seem to be in the middle of turning into Hobbes; their skin is a milky grey, their ears are elongated, although still shorter than a standard Hobbes, and their hands are beginning to grow claws.

I looked over at Tristan, but he was calming down two kids in his cage. I discreetly signaled to get his attention, and sent him a message in Morse code; 'too late, already turned.' His face darkened at that, and he came over here after saying a few words to the kids.

"We were too late," he asked? I nodded, and stepped aside so he could see inside the cave. "God dammit! What do we do now?"

"We should put them out of their misery," I said. He glared at me when I said that. "Well what do you think we should do? We can't bring them back with us, and no one should have to suffer turning into a filthy Hobbe."

"I….I know," he replied, "but I….I just can't kill them. They're kids Dio, and we were supposed to save them."

"We can't save them all. I'll take care of these two, you go back to the kids you were talking to. I'll check the last cage when I'm done. "

He nodded and left and I turned towards the two kids. I hesitated, knowing that I would be killing two children. I could always leave them alive, no one would mind two more Hobbes in the hundreds there are in this damned cave. But I can't leave them like this either; I know I would rather be put out of my misery than become a Hobbe. So I steeled myself and sent a wind scythe at each child, aiming at their heads so they would feel no pain. I made sure to memorize their deaths, so I know how wrong it feels to kill a child.

I stepped away and walked to the last cage, swallowing the bile that threatened to crawl up my throat. I hope I never again have to kill a child, some things a person should never do. The last cage also had two children, who had noticed our arrival by now. They were staring at me with excitement, although they thankfully remained silent. I raised a finger to my lips just in case, and walked over to them.

"We're here to save you," I told them. "Just hang tight and remain silent, we'll have you out of here soon enough." I opened their cage the same way as the last one, and both children ran out and immediately hugged me.

"What are your names," I asked.

"I'm Billy," one said. "And I'm Steven," the other said. I noticed that they looked similar, although Steven looked noticeably older. Both had brown eyes and hair, and were wearing similar patched outfits. I counted the kids in the room, but found an alarming problem; there are only six of them here.

"Seven of you were reported taken," I told them. "Have either of you seen the last kid?"

Both of their eyes fell at that. "She…..she was taken by the flying monsters," Steven told me. I couldn't help but get angry at that, although I made sure the kids couldn't tell. We failed to save one, who knows what's happened to the poor kid by now. Hobbes may be simple and idiotic creatures, but fairies are the complete opposites. And dark fairies represent the worst thing a being can become; they're twisted creatures that manipulate everyone and everything around them, and will do anything to reach their goals.

I told Billy and Steven to wait here, and signaled Tristan to follow me. The two kids he was comforting didn't seem to want to let him go, but he did manage to somehow convince them.

"The fairies took the seventh child, and I have no idea how long ago that happened. We need to leave now, so we have to forget about the kid. She's a lost cause."

"Are you insane," he asked. "You're talking about leaving a child in the hands of those monsters! How could you even consider that?"

"Because we have no idea where she is, how long they've had her, or what's happened to her. She may be dead for all we know, and we'll put ourselves and the remaining kids at risk looking for her. We did what we could, and now we need to do the same; we have four kids out of seven, lets save their lives before any more die."

He still glared at me, but we really have no other choice; we could take a risk and look for the last child, but that would put all seven of us at risk. And considering it was a fairy that took the child, I have little doubt she's dead by now. Tristan still looked as if he's coming to terms with everything, so I decided to hurry him along.

"You don't have to like this, but if we waste any more time we risk being discovered. I'll go tell Kat, you prepare the kids to move."

He nodded at that, but he still looked angry. I can relate, it feels horrible to me also. I signaled Kat to come over, and explained the plan. She also looked upset at the idea of leaving behind a child, but she understood that we simply had to do this. She walked inside the room with us where I detailed the plan.

"First of all," I said, "we need to get Hobbe blood on these kids. After that it's simple; we haul ass out of here as fast as possible. If we're lucky we won't be noticed and we'll get out scot free."

"Of course," said Tristan, "because we've had such great luck before."

I smiled wryly at that, but didn't comment. "In case we are noticed, you'll carry two of the children Tristan. Use your berserker rush if you have to. Kat you'll take one, and ill carry another. I'll need one hand to use flames to scare them off. Keep running and don't stop for anything, once we get outside it'll be much easier to escape from the Hobbes. Head straight for Bowerstone. Do you both remember which paths to take to leave?"

They both nodded, and we began to explain the plan to the four kids. They looked less than pleased about being covered in Hobbe blood, but I made sure they understood this is the only way they'll be able to escape alive. They wisely shut up when I mentioned that. Thankfully the dead Hobbes in the room was enough to cover the kids. I would be carrying Steven, Kat would carry Billy, and Tristan would carry the two kids he found, who I later learned were named Sally and Michael. So when we made sure we were ready, and we explained the plan as quickly as we could to the four kids, we stepped out.

We weren't immediately swarmed by Hobbes, and that's always a good sign. They still have their backs turned to us, and I do wonder what exactly Hobbes do in their spare time. Sadly I don't have time to observe them today. I can't see any of the fairies anywhere, and that does worry me; a fairy you can't see is twice as dangerous as one you can. We cautiously walked towards the cave that would take us to the other edge of the chasm, still unnoticed. We managed to enter the cave, and I signaled to Kat and Tristan; 'prepare to run.' They both nodded at that, and I prepared to send my signal as soon as we cleared this cave. Sadly that's when everything turned to shit. Since the hallway curves, we had no way of seeing what's ahead of us; and in our case we walked right in front of two fairies. We all stared at each other for a split second, no one knowing what to do. And then I moved into action.

I used the force push spell so blast both fairies away from us, but I panicked and used the spell without aiming. Instead of blasting them behind us, I ended up blasting them ahead of us.

"RUN" I yelled. We each scooped up a kid, or two of them in Tristan's case, and ran as fast as we could. As we ran, I could also hear one of the fairies high pitched voice yell; "Intruders, kill them!" So much for smooth sailing, nothing ever seems to go according to plan. As we neared the cave opening I saw both of the fairies from earlier floating in front of us, hands glowing I placed a barrier in front of us, which broke when their energy bolts hit it. I could see them preparing to shoot again, and I could hear the Hobbe swarm closing in behind us. I set up another barrier, and used the force push spell again, sending both fairies out of the cave. With the opening clear, we rushed through it.

I saw both fairies floating above us so I yet again sent a force push spell at them, this time sending them both away from us and towards the Hobbe swarm. Said swarm was rapidly rushing into the entrance behind us, and some were shooting us with arrows from a ledge. I set up a thin barrier around us, so the arrows wouldn't hit us. It appeared as a thin silver barrier, and ripples appeared where the arrows impacted it.

"Arrows," I yelled, 'run faster!" We ran as fast as we could, but I had to simultaneously concentrate on blocking the arrows shot at us, keeping an eye on the fairies, and making sure I don't lose my grip on Steven. It took all my concentration not to slip up. As we ran I noticed Tristan stumble, but he kept running so I thought nothing of it.

Keeping the arrows from hitting us is simple, but it's the bolts that the fairies are shooting that are difficult to block, since each bolt breaks any barrier I make. "Tristan," I yelled, "take Steven!" He slowed down enough for me to hoist Steven on his back, and he activated Berserker Rush. He'll be able to maintain this mode for ten minutes, so we should be able to get out of here.

With both hands free I'm able to attack, so I shot lightning streams at both fairies. They both dodged out of the way, but we at least had a moment of respite. We almost arrived at the winding tunnel that would lead us out, when the final fairy flew out of it. Instead of slowing down we all sped up, and when its hands began to glow blue I shot a wind scythe at it. Since my wind scythes are invisible, the fairy couldn't see it and stayed immobile. When the wind scythe hit the fairy it was slashed, but my scythe failed to cut it in half. Apparently fairies are sturdier than I thought.

At least the fairy was no longer in our way, and we managed to enter the passage out. The Hobbe swarm was pouring out from the passage behind us and the fairies were rushing to enter the passage, so I reached into my bad and pulled out a vial of oil. I threw the vial to the floor and it smashed open, and set it on fire. This is special oil derived from the fat of a troll, so when I set it on fire it blazed up to the ceiling. This should prevent the Hobbes from chasing us, although the fairies may get through.

We ran forward, and I kept a constant Barrier behind us at all times, just in case. I'm down to half of my Will reserves, so I hope nothing else goes wrong. I felt something impact my barrier, and looking back I saw the fairy I injured chasing us, although it did have burns across its body. I shot lightning at it, but it simply flew back out of reached.

"Only one fairy behind us," I yelled. We kept running and the fairy and I continued to shoot at each other, although it seems both of us missed. Finally we saw the exit, and we ran as hard as we could towards it. As we exited the cave I set the surrounding area on fire, hoping it would deter the fairy. It didn't.

The fairy flew out of the cave and glared at us. "I'm going to kill you," it said. Its high pitched voice would have been funny on any other creature, except I know this one had the power to kill us if we aren't careful. This fairy looks nothing like Irene; it's at least two feet long, and its skin is a dark blue. Its arms extend to its feet, and they end in wicked claws. Its head is bulbous, with elf ears and a large nose. Its sclera is completely black and lacks any pupils, while its mouth is full of fangs. All in all, it's a hideous creature, and I much prefer how Irene looks.

"I'll take the kids out of here," Tristan said, "you two take care of this freak." We nodded and he ushered the kids towards Bowerstone. The fairy tried to shoot them, but I created a barrier to block it.

"You'll have to get through us," Kat said. " _Damn, I wanted to say that._ " The fairy looked at us and sneered. It shot more bolts at us, but I blocked them with a barrier.

"Kat," I yelled, "Multi arrow!" She nodded and took out her bow, and activated multi arrow. Four lights began to hover around her, and when she shot an arrow one of the lights flew with it. The light split into three more arrows that flew apart, and when the fairy dodged Kat's arrow the magical ones curved towards the fairy, forcing it into an impressive display of acrobatics to avoid them. While this happened I gathered my Will energy and kept the fairy in focus, and as soon as the arrows ran out and it stopped flying around I let loose a stream of lightning at it. However, instead of being roasted a blue barrier appeared and intercepted my lightning.

"You aren't the only one capable of creating barriers human," it said. With its attention on me, I signaled Kat to shoot while I distract it.

"Is that so," I responded. "Even if you can it obviously isn't easy for you, or else you would have used one before now. Do you really think your barriers will outlast my attacks?"

That apparently pissed it off, because it's blue skin darkened and it glared at me. "How dare you look down on me you filthy human?! I am a fairy, and I've breached areas of Will that you couldn't dream of. How dare you-"With its attention completely on me Kat shot another volley of Multi Arrow, which the fairy almost didn't notice. Sadly it did, and it once again began to dodge, although one of the arrows did leave a gash below the previous one on its abdomen. I couldn't attack while Kat's arrows are there, as our attacks would cancel out, so I maintained a barrier in case the fairy attacked. It somehow managed to send an energy bolt at each of us, and this one was noticeably stronger than the rest since it almost pierced through my barrier.

As soon as the volley of arrows ended I launched lightning at the fairy again, although this time I also sent flames to block its vision. The fairy created another barrier to block my attacks, but now it couldn't see Kat launching another volley of Multi Arrows behind it. As the arrows approached I stopped my attacks, and the fairy noticed the arrows approaching it too late. It managed to dodge one of the arrows, but the other two pierced its left arm and leg. It stumbled in the air, so I sent two wind scythes at it. It somehow noticed my attacks, as it managed to dodge on scythe, but the other cut off both of its legs below the knee. Purple blood spilled across the ground, and the fairy stared at its legs in shock. Kat shot her last volley while the fairy was immobile, but this time it created a barrier to block them. That was her fourth orb, and I knew she could only cast multi arrow once more before she had to wait to recharge.

The fairy continued to stare at its missing legs and the arrows piercing it, before it stared at each of us in turn. Instead of looking angry, it looked eerily calm. It raised an arm towards each of us and its hands began to glow blue. It launched an energy bolt at us, but this one was purple. I created barriers to block the bolt, but immediately noticed that the bolts are too powerful and would break through by barriers.

"Kat, dodge," I yelled. I threw myself out of the way, and a second later the bolt broke through my barrier and hit my previous location. It dissolved the ground that it touched, and left behind a crater the same size as itself. I looked over at Kats previous location, and noticed she also dodged the bolt.

" _What the hell. Its attacks weren't so powerful before. And the color is different also. What did it do?"_

The fairy began to charge up another attack, and I sent lightning at it again. However a red barrier appeared and blocked my attack, before redirecting it at me, although its color also changed to purple. I wasn't expecting that, so I wasn't able to completely dodge it and my right leg was struck. While not in any immediate danger, my leg would no longer support my weight. I looked over at the fairy before noticing something strange; its wounds were no longer bleeding. Sparing a quick glance below it, as it still hadn't moved, I noticed the blood that had pooled on the ground was no longer there.

" _It's using its own life-force to enhance its attacks!"_

"Kat," I yelled, "Dodge all attacks! I can't block them!" I heard her yell she understood, and I began to think on what I could do to survive this _. "If we wait for it to kill itself strengthening its attacks we might die first, and any attack shot at it is reflected. The difficult part about this is I have no idea how long the damn thing can keep this up. But if it's an attack it can't see…."_

"Kat! Multi Arrow, shoot them all and dodge!" Thankfully she didn't question me and cast multi arrow again. As she began to shoot the fairy I cast a stream of fire to block its vision. While the fire and arrows were blocked, the fire prevented the fairy from seeing our locations once we moved, so the reflected arrows missed. The fire I never stopped casting, so it was never reflected back at us. By now I'm down to a quarter of my Will reserves, so I need to wrap this up quickly.

I could no longer see Kat anywhere, so she must have taken cover now that she can't cast Multi Arrow. I stopped casting fire and the fairy turned towards me. Its skin was pale, and it looked haggard.

"If I die," I heard it whisper, "you're coming with me." I'll pass. Its hands began to glow blue, so I created an ice spike behind me, hiding it from view. When the fairy shot its bolt I used assassin rush to dash behind it. I used force push to hurl the fairy away, and launched the ice spike at it. While the fairy recovered and prepared to block the ice spike I used assassin rush to dash behind it. When it created a barrier to block the ice spike, I used my remaining Will energy to create as many wind scythes as I could. Because it was still busy blocking the ice spike, the fairy didn't notice the wind scythes and was sliced apart.

I poked the remains with my sword to confirm it was dead, and I sprawled on the ground when it didn't move. "Kat," I yelled, "its dead!" I stayed resting on the ground for a while longer, until I noticed that Kat still hadn't appeared. "Kat, come out." There's still no response. Worried, I picked myself out and searched for her. I headed towards where I last saw her, and called out for her again. There still was no response, and I began to worry. _"Did one of the Hobbes or fairies get here during the fight?"_ I drew my sword and began to search for her. I used what little Will energy I had remaining to enhance my hearing, and I could hear labored breathing ahead of me.

I approached the trees I heard the breathing from, and I used my mirror to see behind them. I saw Kat there slumped against the ground and I approached her, but I noticed something was wrong when she didn't react to my presence. "Kat, what's wrong?" She looked over at me and gave me a weak smile, before shifting around so I could see the arrow embedded in her abdomen. "Can you move," I asked while rushing towards her. She shook her head, and I debated what to do.

"I can't heal you right now, I'm out of energy. And if I remove the arrow you may bleed out, but we can't stay here. I'll have to carry you to Bowerstone, and you can be treated there." She shook her head, but I'm not having any of that. "If I leave you here Tristan will kill me, and then kill himself for not being here. So you have no choice but to get to Bowerstone, understood?" She smiled at that, and I got to work. I broke the arrow shafts, but left the arrowheads alone. It's times like this when I wish there were magic potions to heal or regain Will energy like in the game, but sadly they don't exist. I knocked Kat out with a blow to the head so she wouldn't have to suffer through the journey, and slung her over my back. I just hope we aren't attacked on our journey there.

-Skip-Clip-Rip-Dip-

It took me two entire hours to arrive at Bowerstone with Kat, since my leg was also injured, and during the trip I wondered why I didn't encounter Tristan, since he should have returned to help us. If he was just confident that we would be ok ill kick his ass, since we obviously weren't. There were two guards at the gate to Bowerstone, although these two weren't the ones we met before. My Will energy had recovered enough in the past two hours that I was able to heal Kat's wounds, though not my leg, but I noticed that the veins around her wounds were black even after I healed her. I theorized that fairy blood was poisonous to humans, and then I berated myself for thinking about that at a time like this.

I called out to the two guards, and one of them cautiously approached me. "I'm with the Heroes guild," I told him. "She and I, along with one other, took a quest to rescue seven children from Hobbes. Our friend should have been by here a few hours ago?"

"Short fellow," he asked, "black hair, with two kids?"

"No," I responded, "he isn't short, his hair is black, and it was four children." The guard nodded at that. "Just had to make sure. What's wrong with her?"

"Poison," I replied. "I need to take her to a healer to help."

"I can't take you there myself kid as I'm on duty, but there is someone who can. Follow me."

We walked towards the gate, and he called out to open it. The gates opened slowly, annoyingly enough, and I got my first glimpse of Bowerstone. The stench was the first thing I noticed; a combination of shit and rotten food. There probably isn't a sewage system, or the one that exists has problems. The buildings look like normal houses and buildings, although most of them are made from either wood or stone. The streets are noisy and crowded, although nowhere near the level of a modern city. While I'd love to explore the various stores, I still need to help Kat and find Tristan.

The guard that I was talking to introduced me to another guard, called John, saying he would help me find the healer. He also said John could take me to the Barracks, where Tristan was supposed to take the children.

"So," John asked as he led me to the healer, "how did both of you get injured?"

"We fought a horde of Hobbes and fairies." He looked dissatisfied a that answer, but I really didn't feel like retelling everything. "Look John," I told him, "I'm hungry, tired, and injured. I just want to help my friend, and take a rest. I'm not in the mood to tell you a story, understand?" He nodded, and we walked in silence. When we arrived at the healer I thankfully didn't have to wait for the healer to help Kat. I wasn't required to stay there, and thankfully she heals Heroes for free, so I could leave to find Tristan. Although when I told the Healer what I thought was wrong with Kat, she said she wasn't sure if she could be healed.

Now tired, hungry, injured and worried, I asked John to take me to the guard barracks. He didn't try to engage me in conversation again, but that didn't bother me much. You can't be friends with everyone, and he seems like the sort of person who sees life as a pretty adventure, and I doubt we would get along. I thanked John for his help when we arrived at the barracks, but the jerk left without responding. The barracks themselves were nothing special; a counter manned by one person, and a room to the left that probably led to the supply rooms. I approached the counter and explained who I was, and that I was looking for Tristan. When I described Tristan's appearance, the man behind the counter winced, and looked hesitant.

"What's wrong," I asked. "Has he been by here or not?"

"The man you described did come by here," he told me. "And the children he brought have been taken care for. Your friend however….."

I lost my temper; "What is it! Spit it out man, what happened?"

"When your friend arrived, he was injured. There was an arrow stuck in his abdomen. We treated him; removed the arrow and sealed his wound, but there was some kind of poison on the arrow. Your friend is in the back room now, but we have no way to save him. I'm sorry."

I felt numb; both of my friends were hit in the abdomen by poisoned arrows, and I have no clue if either of them would survive. The sheer impossibility of this would be amusing in any other situation, but I knew this happened because of what Rover told me. I tried to speak, but my mouth felt dry.

"Can…can you take me to him?" He nodded, and motioned for me to follow him. He headed towards the room on the right and I followed. There were a few rooms in the hallway, and we headed towards the third on the right. Inside I found Tristan lying down on a bed, covered in bandages and seemingly asleep. I approached him and shook him a little, and his eyes opened.

"Hey buddy, how are you?" I asked.

"I feel like shit," he groaned. "One of those stupid Hobbes managed to hit me with an arrow. It apparently had some sort of poison on it, and the Healer has no idea what it is. We have no idea when I'll die, but there's no doubt I will. Whatever the poison was is killing my organs, and you can see it." He lifted his shirt to show what lay underneath; a scarred wound where the arrow pierced him and the surrounding veins were a sickly black, and that had already reached his chest. If this is how bad it's become after a measly two hours….

"I'll probably be dead by the days end," he told me. I closed my eyes and tried not to cry when he told me that. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

"You don't need to apologize Dio, you did all you could. We just had bad luck, and I drew the short straw. I don't blame you for what happened; I know you did your best. You're the only reason any of survived at all."

"And yet my best wasn't enough to save you, nor was it enough to save those other three kids."

He laughed at that, but this laughter was weak and soft, nothing like usual. "Come now Dio, you were the one who always said something will always go wrong, and not everyone could be said. It just so happened that this time I'm the one who can't be saved."

"That doesn't make this any easier Tristan."

"I know it doesn't, but it had to be said. The three of us chose to take this quest, and we did what we could. Don't kill yourself over this Dio; this is as my fault as much as it is yours. Now, where's Kat? What happened with that fairy after I left?"

I can't tell him she might also die, not now. 'Kat's fine, we were both injured during the fight and she's at the healers right now being treated. She'll be fine, she's a tough cookie."

"That she is…" I noticed he looked tired; the disease is probably sapping his strength. "Go to sleep buddy. There's no need to stay awake. When you wake up Kat will probably be next to you, and then she'll kick your ass for getting injured."

"Hah, she probably will. Keep her safe for me Dio, she's not as strong as she seems." I simply nodded, not trusting my voice to remain stable. He drifted off to sleep, and despite my best efforts I felt hot tears fall down my cheeks. How could I not blame myself; I knew something could go wrong, and that there was a chance Tristan and Kat could die. Despite that I kept quiet, and this happened. Now one of my only friends here is dying, and the other may also die before the day is over. I could have prevented this through so many ways, and yet I didn't. The worst part is I can't tell either Kat or Tristan about why this really happened, and they might not believe me.

" _There isn't any point in being here anymore, I may as well return to the guild and tell Weaver what happened. I'll check on Kat before I do."_ Thankfully I remembered how to get to the healer, although she told me that Kat was currently resting. She gave her all the medicines that counteract poison that she had, the only thing we could do now is wait and see if Kat recovers. While I was there I told the healer about Tristan, and she said she would check on him.

" _How perfect; I have to wait to see if either of them survives what's probably the exact same poison."_ Now with little hope for the survival of either of my friends and completely downtrodden, I started on the long journey back to the Guild. I forced myself to hurry, knowing that any moment I waste could be the moment that Kat or Tristan die. It only took me six hours to arrive at the guild, but by the time I arrived it was midnight and I was physically and emotionally drained. The first thing I did when I arrived was head to my room and sleep; I'll brief the headmaster in the morning. At least I had the foresight to carry food in my pack so I could eat on my way back, or I would be suffering from starvation at this moment.


	6. Chapter 6

**Authors Note:**

 **Sorry for the slow chapter, the next college semester started and I've been busy. I had little time to write, and when I did get a chance I would lose my train of thought. I got tired of continuously writing Will energy last chapter, and you probably got tired of reading it, so from now on I will call the energy used to fuel Magic/Will attacks Mana. I'm also changing Assassin Rush to flash step, similar to the one from bleach or the one from Naruto, since it serves the same function, and I don't want to continuously write 'Assassin Rush.' Originally the beginning of this chapter was supposed to be included last chapter, but that would have left you all with a cliffhanger. After this chapter, there are only one, maybe two more chapters before I go to the Harry potter world. There will be time skips in both this chapter and the next, but only for a few months and nothing significant will happen. I'm essentially using the instances when Rover is forced to 'equalize' affairs to manipulate events into going how I want them to, like what ends up happening in this chapter. I don't have any more planned yet for the future, so if you'd like to suggest one, feel free! I also described Oakvale as close to how it looks in the game as possible. I felt like my fight scenes felt boring, please let me know if you feel the same. Please leave a review, and enjoy!**

 **WARNING! There's a mention of rape in this chapter, nothing too terrible or explicit. I'm putting this here so no one bitches about it! That is all.**

"Speech"= A normal conversation

"Speech"= Thoughts, telepathy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or Fable; they belong to JK Rowling and Microsoft respectively. I only own Dio, and I make no money off of this story.

-Skip-Clip-Rip-Dip-

When I next awoke, my body's muscles screamed in protest; in hindsight, it probably wasn't the best idea to come to the guild without any rest. I could tell it was early morning through the sounds outside; I could hear the instructors going through the drills they do every morning. When I thought back to what happened yesterday, I couldn't hold it in any longer and broke down crying. It took me a few minutes to calm down, and when I did I wanted nothing more than to escape reality by burrowing into my blankets. Sadly my rumbling stomach ruined that plan. With a groan I got up and stretched my limbs awake, hoping that things would go smoothly today. Who knows, maybe Kat and Tristan will manage to pull through and I'm worrying for nothing. Either way I need to report to the Guild master and inform him of what happened.

I headed out after making sure my limbs were no longer stiff, and looked for the Guild master. As I walked through the Guild it dawned on me that after today I would be graduating; I would no longer be required to stay here. While I would always return here for more quests, before the day is over I'll be ready to go out into the big bad world out there. I looked around and memories of the last three years came flowing back to me; the hours spent in the arena sparring against Tristan, or even Rose when she was still here. Polishing my Will powers with Weaver, or studying in the library with Rose.

Speaking about Rose, I wonder how she is; she graduated a year and a half ago, during the summer solstice. We spent a lot of time together while she was here; since we were both hailed as prodigies most of the other apprentices shied away from us. She was a large help while she was here, and it was thanks to her that I could accustomed myself to this world so easily. I would have been lost without her since most people would try to take advantage of someone with amnesia. While working with her wasn't always easy since she's extremely stubborn, she's easy to get along with once you get past her sarcasm. We did try to form a relationship between us and even slept together, but in the end decided we weren't right for each other. I hope she's ok, I don't know what I would do if she also died.

While walking around I tried to reach out with my mana and find Irene, but I wasn't able to find her. She and the other fairies disappear every once in a while, and I have a snaking suspicion that fairies are able to travel through dimensions; they disappear without leaving any trace of themselves. The Guild master is usually in one of two places; the map room where quests are received and given, or in his quarters. His quarters are closer than the map room, but when I checked his room he wasn't there. I was really hoping I could do this in a private setting; I'd rather not be overheard by anyone. I entered the map room and saw the Guild master, alongside with Maze. He might not like me for whatever reason, but he is at least professional. They're in a conversation with a client, so I'll wait until they're done. It definitely isn't because I'm trying to put this conversation off.

The conversation between them took about ten more minutes, and I felt a pit of dread form in my stomach when the Guild masters attention turned towards me. I squashed my uneasiness down and schooled my features; no need to cause a scene where everyone can see me.

"Ah, Dio," the Guild master said as he approached, "I wasn't expecting you for a few more days. I assume the mission was a success?" I'm not surprised he wasn't expecting me; we finished the quest over a period of three days, which is extremely fast.

"That's correct Guild master," I replied, "The mission was completed. The missing children were escorted to the Guard barracks, where they'll be returned to their families."

"Excellent." He looked around and frowned. "And where are Tristan and Katherine? They should be with you." I hesitated in answering, and my inner turmoil must have shown on my face because Weaver fixed me with that damnable stare of his; the one where he seems to stare through you and make you feel like a child. I struggled not to squirm every time he looked at me like that.

"What happened Dio?" Such a simple question, yet the answer felt like it would rip me apart. I steeled myself, and detailed the entire mission. It took me the better part of ten minutes to finish, and Weaver maintained an impassive face throughout the entire explanation. Thankfully Maze also approached to listen to what happened, and it was thanks to him that I was able to stay calm throughout the explanation; there's no way I would show any weakness in front of him.

When I finished, Maze frowned at me. "Is there a reason you didn't report to us immediately when you arrived," he asked. _"You'll find any excuse to make my life difficult, won't you?"_

"I was exhausted after not only battling a horde of Hobbes and fairies, but also rushing to get here. I was also sleep deprived, as none of us had a moment to rest. If I had reported to you, I may not have been able to recall everything that happened. And I had no assurance both of you were in the guild, and not out on a quest." _"Ha, take that you bastard."_

My rebuttal simply seemed to piss Maze off, if the tightening of his eyes is any indication. Thankfully Weaver stepped in before the situation could devolve any further. "Now now Maze" he said, "the boy made the correct decision. I daresay few Heroes could have made the Journey from Bowerstone to the Guild as quickly as young Dio here did. In rushing here he was able to notify us quicker than he would have been able to otherwise. And what the lad said is true; exhausted and sleep deprived anyone may forget a crucial detail."

Maze didn't comment at that, probably realizing that arguing further would draw attention. I wish I knew why he dislikes me so much; it's been like this since he first met me.

The Guild master then turned towards me, "For now Dio you should head back to Bowerstone. Find out if Miss Katherine or Mister Tristan will survive. Regardless of the outcome, they need to be returned to the guild. Your graduation will be postponed until the complete arrival of your team." His casual dismissal of their deaths is infuriating; how could he just brush it off like that? I nodded and left, not trusting my mouth not to get me in trouble. I headed towards my room to prepare for my trip back, and thankfully I still have most of what I need from my last trip. A restock of arrows and some food, and I'm good to go. I noticed how filthy I was; running through caves and woodland for most of three days tends to leave one with a certain layer of grime. Thankfully Rover taught me a nifty spell for just this occasion; I manipulate my mana to cover every inch of my clothes and person, and then peel it off like a snake would shed its skin. This eliminates any grime and foul odors. I still take the occasional shower to maintain a semblance of normality, but it's great that I no longer have to; I've always hated having to shower or go to the bathroom, along with other necessary but annoying tasks. With this ability I can eliminate any waste from my body, even internal waste.

With everything ready I headed out to leave, for once thankful about one thing: since everyone avoids me, no one will be bothering me now. I'm not in the mood to talk to anyone, although I'm sure once news of what happened starts spreading all these idiots will start harassing me. Before I left the Guild I tried to reach out and locate Irene one last time; however I still couldn't locate her. I hope she returns soon, I'd rather be able to talk to someone to deal with this.

-Skip-Clip-Rip-Dip-

The walk back to Bowerstone was uneventful, although it once again took me half a day to reach it since I was in no hurry. On the contrary, I dreaded reaching Bowerstone and being told both of my friends were dead. Luckily enough the guards on duty at the gates were the same two that Kat and I met when we arrived. I was able to get inside without any hassle, and I was provided a guide once again. Thankfully it wasn't the same prick from yesterday; I don't think I could stomach him today. Our first destination is the healer where Kat is at. I knocked on the door and the same healer answered, although her face turned sad when she noticed me.

"Come in lad," she said. "You'll want to be sitting down for this." I entered her house, my stomach already churning in agitation. I noticed how professional, and stereotypical, her house looked; while there are very little personal items in the house, plants and herbs of all kinds can be found. Some are hanging from the ceiling, while others are scattered in pots throughout the floor. This healer at least looks professional. But for good or bad I'm stuck with her, and the prognosis doesn't look good. The healer took out a chair out of somewhere and gestured for me to sit. Once my rump was seated she looked at me, and seems to be thinking on how to word what she's thinking. I noticed the bags under her eyes; she was probably awake all night trying to heal Kat and Tristan.

"I've spent the last twelve hours attempting to heal your friends," she told me. "I had the guards move your male friend here, so I wouldn't have to run around trying to heal them. Once I had them next to each other I was able to compare their symptoms, and determined that they're suffering from the same ailment. Thanks to that I was able to try separate treatments on each of them, to try and speed things along." At this point she seemed to deflate on herself, and I could barely hear what she said next. "However….none of my treatments had any effect, and a few even seemed to speed up the disease. The boy is already unresponsive, and the girl will soon follow. I have no idea what the disease itself is; I looked in all the books I have, and I asked every healer I know. No disease like this has ever been seen; anything to do with the fae is uncharted territory, since they don't appear often in Albion, and this disease is acting faster than any other I've ever seen. While you may have been able to find a cure in Samarkand, I'm sorry to say that there's nothing that can be done for your two friends; they will be dead by the day's end."

Even if I was expecting this news, it still hit me like a sack of bricks. At least I let out my grief this morning; it would do no one any good to break down right now. Once I composed myself I asked the healer, whose name I found out was Teluas, to where my friends were. She led me to a room at the back of the house, and left me to talk with them in peace. I entered the room and saw them both; they were both on top of separate bedrolls side by side. At some point they were stripped naked –although their privates were covered- allowing a clear view at the spreading disease; the veins on the upper part of their bodies are black and clearly visible. There's blue and purple bruising visible all over their bodies, and both of them look extremely pale. Jars of tonics and ointments litter the room, most empty or nearing empty. As Teluas said, Tristan seemed to be the worse off; his breathing is barely visible, and as I went over to him I felt his skin, which is colder than it should be. He probably only has a few hours left to live, and in this state he could die and no one would notice for hours. Kat must have noticed my presence in the room, because her eyes opened and she looked over at me. I noticed that her eyes are a cloudy white, has she gone blind"

"Hey there Kat," I said, "it's me." She gave a weak smile when she heard me. ""This is a stupid question really, but how do you feel?"

"I feel better now," she replied. I had to strain to hear her voice. "I can't feel the pain anymore, and I no longer feel as if I'm on fire." Her face twisted in sorrow as she said that. "I'm….not going to make it am I Dio?"

"No, you aren't. The healers have tried all they could, but they haven't found a cure for whatever this disease is. You'll probably die by the days end." There's no reason to sugarcoat this, she's smart enough to figure out she isn't going to male it. She cried when I told her, and I held her hand as she did. She cried blood instead of tears, so this disease must be destroying her internal organs also. It truly is frightening; a disease that can kill a grown person this quickly and with this severity is nothing less than a nightmare.

"What about Tristan," she asked me, "how is he?"

"Worse than you are; he's completely unresponsive, so we won't even be able to say goodbye."

"I….I see." She went quiet for a while, and then gave me a look full of resolution. "I need you to do something for both of us Dio; please, end this nightmare for us"

To say her words shocked me would be an understatement. "You…you want me to…."

"I want you to help us both Dio. Do you have any idea how agonizing slowly feeling yourself die is? To feel every ounce of strength slip away? I'm scared Dio; I have no idea if the next breath will be my last, or if my eyes won't open the next time I close them. But worse than that, I'm scared of how I'm going to die. I don't want to feel any more pain Dio; I've been in complete agony this entire time. I'm tired, and I just want this to end. And we both know Tristan would ask the same if he could."

I didn't say anything for a while, I just mulled over her words. " _I would feel the same way if I was in her position, and as a friend, shouldn't I help them not suffer? It isn't as if I'm killing them; they're already dying. This is an act of mercy, and it's my duty anyways, since I failed to protect them."_

"Alright Kat," I told her. "Just close your eyes and this will all be over."

She smiled. "Thank you Dio. I'm sorry we're leaving you all alone. And don't blame yourself for this; we all did what we could. And take care of yourself, or I'll have to return and kick your ass if you don't. It's your responsibility now to live for the three of us, so don't even think about dying, ok?"

"Heh, you're demanding even when dying. It's nice to see that some things don't change."

"Of course not you dunce. And be careful, who knows what mess you'll get into without us to bust you out of trouble."

That made me smile, the common banter between us made this whole ordeal seem easier. I'm not sure if she did it for that very reason.

I took out a dagger from my backpack, and steeled myself for what I was about to do. I thrust the dagger into Kats heart as quickly and with as much force as I could; I want her to feel as little pain as possible. I could feel her heartbeats through the knife, but they quickly stopped. Despite what I thought earlier I could feel the bile rise in my throat, but I forced it down. I conjured fire and used it to cauterize her wound, so she wouldn't bleed all over the place. I moved over to Tristan, and said my farewell to him even if he couldn't hear me. I repeated the process with him, and couldn't hold the nausea in any longer, I rushed to the open window in the room and I spewed what little food I ate. Teluas must have heard me because she ran into the room, and noticed what I did. For a moment I worried that she would scream bloody murder, but she merely gave me a sympathetic smile and left.

I know that I have to take their bodies back to the guild, but I have no idea how to. I told Teluas that I would return, and headed towards the guard barracks. Luckily enough, the parents of Steven and Billy were at the barracks to pick up their children. They thanked me profusely when they noticed me, and asked me where the other two were so they could thank them. When I informed the parents of what happened, they offered to take Kat and Tristan to the Guild on their wagon, saying it was the least they could do. We agreed on meeting at the gate that would take us to the guild and one of the guards volunteer to help me take my friends bodies to the gate.

I returned to Teluas' hut, and thanked her profusely for her help. She may not have been able to heal me friends, but she did try. I carried Kat's body while the guard carried Tristan's, and we headed towards the gate. Mathew- the father of Steven and Billy- was already waiting for us there. I thanked the guard for his help after we laid down Kat and Tristan's bodies, and turned to Mathew. The two of us started our slow journey back to the guild, and he informed me that Steven and Billy showed an interest in becoming Heroes. It may be because I felt bitter over what happened, but I informed him of the dangers that accompanied being a hero. He countered my argument by saying that a person's life is in constant danger in Albion, whether by Hobbes or highwaymen, and at least by becoming heroes his children would have the necessary training to defend themselves. I had no clue what you could say to that, as it was true. I was once again reminded that although this world is based on a video game from my own world, it is no less real, and much more dangerous.

The rest of our journey was quiet, and it took us the rest of the day to arrive at the guild. It was nighttime when we arrived, and I asked Mathew to wait while I searched for the Guild master.

Thankfully he was in the map room, writing what appeared to be a new quest.

"Ah, you've returned Dio. I assume that Katherine and Tristan are with you?"

"I've returned with their body's sir." I saw a flicker of pain cross his eyes for a moment, but he schooled his features quickly. It dawned on me that he's always expecting a death to occur when he sends a Hero on a quest, so he can't lose his head each time it happens. How many Heroes has he seen pass through these halls, only to return dead? I felt ashamed that I didn't realize that earlier and I got mad at him. Once again I fail to realize the bigger picture, and focus only on what's in front of me.

"I see. Bring them in Dio; we'll prepare a proper mourning for them to be done at dawn."

He left the map room, and I glanced at the new quest he was writing; it was to exterminate the Hobbes in the cave we saved the children from. I felt a manic grin form on my face; I would be able to have revenge for my friends. I wonder who else will take the quest.

I returned to Mathew, and we brought in Kat and Tristan's bodies. I thanked Mathew one more time, and he left to return to Bowerstone. By this time the Guild master had returned with two other apprentices, who took my friends bodies and went to prepare them for the pyre.

"You should get some sleep Dio," Weaver told me. "You should be well rested for both ceremonies tomorrow." I nodded and left for my room. Before I left the chamber the Guild master called out to me once more.  
"Oh and Dio, as you may have noticed a new quest to exterminate the Hobbes you encountered has appeared. While normally I would not allow a Hero as fresh as you to take a quest of this magnitude, due to recent event's you have permission to take it. I will be notifying all heroes of this quest, and will send a message to Thunder and Briar Rose. That is all." It would be great to see Rose again and even better to fight beside her. I headed to my room and once more tried to sense Irene, but I still couldn't find her. What the hell could she be doing, this is the longest she's ever been gone.

-Skip-Clip-Rip-Dip-

I woke up early the next morning; I've gotten the hang of waking up at will over the years. I felt refreshed, so I went outside to stretch and warm up. There were a few other apprentices out, but other than a polite hello none of them spoke to me. It's going to be lonely if I stay here after today, since I no longer have any friends, other than Irene that is. After graduating today I won't be required to stay here any longer, nor do I want to. There's an entire world out there filled with creatures to kill, along with artifacts to find and ruins to explore. This place is nothing more than a stepping stone for me, and it's time that I leave it behind.

An hour later an apprentice approached me and said that the Guild master required my presence in the catacombs. It's unknown who exactly is buried in the catacombs, as no records were left behind. All heroes are cremated due to tradition and caution; a tradition to allow their spirits entry to the afterlife, and caution so their bodies aren't transformed into hollow men by wisps. The Guild uses the catacombs to ordain apprentices as official Heroes. Why the catacombs are used is beyond me, maybe as a macabre reminder of the perils of being a hero?

It didn't take me long to arrive, nor did anything particularly special happen; I was inaugurated as a 'true' hero, and given the Guild seal. I was also given the reward for the quest the three of us undertook, and I received Kat and Tristan's share, a total of one thousand gold. The Guild master explained that the Guild seal allowed anyone to teleport to a Cullis gate and allows him to speak to any hero that carries one. It is also the only proof needed to identify myself as a hero from the Guild, to prevent any disputes of authenticity. Normally I would have been more excited for this, but recent events have drained me emotionally. After the ceremony Tristan and Kat were cremated on a pyre, and their deeds and cause of deaths were recorded. After all the pomp and ceremony was over with, the Guild master pulled me aside.

"What will you do now Dio," he asked. "Will you remain here, or leave?"

"I can't remain here," I told him, "there are too many memories of them. There's an entire world out there to explore, and it would be careless of me to let this chance slip up."

Weaver looked saddened at my decision, but he didn't press it. "I understand. Just be careful out there, while this may be callous of me to say, I hope recent events have opened your eyes to the dangers that lurk in Albion. There are beings far more unpredictable and dangerous than Hobbes and fairies, and none of them will hesitate to kill you." He gained a faraway look at that moment, before once more fixing me with his piercing stare. "Tell me Dio, do you know what the deadliest monster that exists is?"

While that question would stump most people; but my upbringing taught me what the true danger in life is.

"Humans," I told him. "All other monsters will kill you for easily identifiable reasons, such as food or territory, but a human will kill you for any reason at all. Humans are one of the few species that kill its own kind, and some simply do it for sport. But what makes humans truly deadly is that they will smile at you one moment, and run you through the back the next. You never truly know how you stand in the eyes of other humans, and always have to sleep with on eye open when around them."

Instead of looking proud that I knew that, Weaver looked crestfallen at my answer. "That is correct Dio, and it saddens me that your eyes have been opened to that truth so early in your life. It is however, a good thing that you know that. Many Heroes believe that all they have to fear are the monsters that prowl the night, yet they conveniently forget about the bandits and highwaymen that prowl the streets, even when most Heroes have killed them at one point or another. What most people don't realize is that the highest casualties in Albion are caused by Heroes themselves, usually when they go rogue, like Twinblades did. Be careful when dealing with other Heroes Dio, because you've painted a target on yourself. You are unusually powerful, and others will flock to you for various reasons. Many will have malicious intentions towards you, and their numbers will only grow as you grow in power. You're powerful for an apprentice Dio, and I'm certain that in a measly year you'll become a force to be reckoned with. However, there are numerous Heroes and creatures in Albion currently more powerful than you, and many will seek to kill you now simply to prevent you from becoming a threat. Such is the life of a prodigy such as yourself; wondering if those around you are looking to cause harm."

That left me speechless; while I knew everything he said is true somewhere in the back of my mind, hearing it directly is an eye opener. While I knew that others considered me a prodigy, I never once considered someone would seek to kill me for it.

"I'll remember what you said Guild master, and thank you for teaching me that. I didn't realize I was in so much danger." He gave me a twisted smile for that.

"Few realize the danger they're in until it's too late. That's why it's always important to have reliable allies; to cover your blind spots, something everyone has without fail. No one is perfect, and no one can account for every situation. Few Heroes realize the possibilities that having a partner protect you provide; most seek to make a name for themselves, and are loathe to share any glory. There have been casualties between Heroes who dispute over who a kill should go to. Philistines all of them. But I digress; the reason I'm telling you all of this I because you remind me of myself when I was your age. I was also considered a prodigy in Will, but I failed to realize the dangers in that. While no one will admit it aloud, the people of Albion fear Will powers. Try to imagine it from their perspective; Will users manipulate the elements with their very fingertips. That alone is to be feared, as it can cause untold destruction if the right situation is provided. Then there are the users like you and I; those who look beyond the obvious and realize that the only limitations to Will is your own imagination. Everyone in Albion is raised with stories about the old Kingdom and the Archons who could manipulate reality, and everyone fears the return of that even if they won't admit it. I can easily admit that you will eventually surpass me, and there will undoubtedly be those who will seek to manipulate you when they notice."

His words reminded me of something I read in a book years ago; that everyone wants powers to become significant, but never think of the dangers and responsibilities that accompanies those powers.

"I see," I replied. "You've given me a lot to think about. Is there anything else you want to tell me Guild master?"

"Just that I'm sorry Katherine and Tristan had to die. They were phenomenal people, and they didn't deserve to die that way. Sadly not everyone in the world is given the chance they deserve. Always be careful Dio, lest you be the next that's cut down before his time." He walked away at that, leaving me with a mind full of questions and speculations, the knowledge that there may already be people after me a sobering thought. I began to think about who could want to kill or recruit me and two people came to mind; Maze and Jack of blades. Jack is supposed to be an ancient horror, and while I don't remember the exact reason why, I do remember that Maze is his unwilling lackey. There are still a number of years before I have to worry about either of them, so all I can do for now is keep my eyes open.

-Skip-Clip-Rip-Dip-

The next four months passed in a mindless haze; after the deaths of Katherine and Tristan id lost much of my previous enthusiasm. I took a quest whenever I could, and as a result I gathered enough money to buy a house in a village a day from the guild in two measly months. The village-called Emdor- was small and quiet, and everyone in it minded their own business. In short, it was perfect for me. The house rested on a hill, which strategically is a great advantage. It cost four thousand gold, which is easier to gather than it sounds. Any time I wasn't questing or training, I would spend trying to drown my guilt over my friend's deaths at brothels and bars. However it didn't matter how much I drank or how many women I slept with; the guilt wouldn't go away. Logically I knew that I couldn't have changed much as the outcome was largely out of my control, but that knowledge did little to help. At least I did manage to slaughter the Hobbes in the cave, which did help me cope a bit. I knew I needed to do something to distract me, as my current lifestyle is anything from healthy. Thankfully an opportunity arrived while I went to pick a new quest at the guild, although I didn't know it at the time.

I teleported into the Guild with most of my body sore; I still hadn't fully recovered from the bar fight from last night. I prefer not to heal myself on occasions like this, hoping that having to deal with the pain and headache would dissuade me from future fights. It didn't. The Guild looks exactly the way it did four months ago, which provides a sense of both stagnation and stability. This refusal to change is one of the factors that lead to the eventual fall of the guild, and the slaughter of most of its Heroes. The reason I was here today is because I received a call from the Guild master this morning, saying he had a quest he wanted me to complete. As it seems he always is, the Guild master is in the map room and he called out to me as soon as I arrived.

"Ah Dio, it's good to see you once again. How have you been?"

"Same as always," I replied. "You said you have a quest for me?"

"Yes, I received this request a few days ago, and after much deliberation I've decided you should undertake this one."

"And what's this quest about?"

"There have been increasing reports about bandit activity near the village of Oakvale. I want you to inspect the validity of these claims. I need someone with….a touch of subtlety, so that discounts most other Heroes. I'm also confidant you can take care of yourself, which is why I've decided to ask you. Will you accept?"

Oakvale….Oakvale….why does that name sound familiar? Thinking back to the game, Oakvale is the town where the Main Character was born. The town was attacked by bandits, so that would mean that this quest would take me there directly. This is too important for me not to be there; this is literally where the game began, and I can't miss it. Knowing my luck something is bound to go wrong, so I may as well play damage control.

"Very well Guild master," I told him, "I accept. What are the details?"

"You simply need to reach the Town of Oakvale, and investigate the claims of bandit activity. If they are true, find the camp and exterminate it. After that is done, report back here."

"That seems pretty straightforward. The reward?"

He handed me the scroll, and I looked it over. The reward is one hundred gold for investigating Oakvale, and two thousand if a bandit camp is found and exterminated. A few copies of the bandit reports are copied on the scroll, but they give no clues. A map from Bowerstone to Oakvale was provided, although ill inspect that at a later date. I put the scroll away in my pack and headed out to leave, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"And where do you think you're going," the Guild master said. "Did you think I wouldn't notice you current state Dio? Get yourself healed at the infirmary, before I decide you need a refresher course on taking proper care of yourself." I paled at the threat; Weaver could drone on for hours about anything and everything, and he wouldn't allow you to leave until he finishes lecturing. I hurried to the infirmary, eager to escape his notice. Thankfully my wounds were nothing more than minor bruising, as magic passively grants all wielders accelerated healing.

On my way out of the infirmary, I noticed that I couldn't sense Irene anywhere. A few days after the quest with the Hobbes Irene appeared again. She decided she trusted me enough to tell me on of her Races biggest secrets; the few are slowly dying out in this world. There is less magic each passing year, which is slowly killing the fae, as they feed on magic. Every winter solstice the fairies perform a ritual that shares magic between them, which prolongs their life. She also explained the disease that killed Kat and Tristan; apparently dark fairy blood is toxic to humans because of the dark rituals they perform. There's no known cure, but a saving grace is that dark fairies are loathe to use their blood to kill 'lesser' creatures, believing it would debase them. The three of us must have interrupted an important ritual if they were willing to provide enough blood to coat the Hobbes' arrows in it. Good riddance. Irene said she was interested in coming along with me in my journeys, but she would have to return to the Guild at the start of every season for a ritual, which is what I assume she's doing now, even if it is a little late in the season.

I passed along the shop to purchase a few supplies, and checked that I have everything I need. Satisfied, I headed to the Map room. There's a known Cullis gate in Oakvale, and I have no idea why the Hero in the game didn't just use it and save himself a trip. As I headed over to the Map room, the world turned grey, and time crawled to a stop.

"Hello again Dio." I turned around, and Rover was there. He hasn't appeared since he told me something would happen on the quest Kat, Tristan and I went on four months ago. Some part of me is glad I haven't seen him in so long; while I know it isn't his fault my friends died, some part of me blames him, since he started all of this.

"Rover," I said, "what a surprise. I haven't seen you in months."

"That's largely my fault; ever since that wakeup call four months ago, I stopped goofing off and started to take my duties as a god of chaos seriously. My century's long imprisonment left a lot for me to do, so I've been busy."

"I imagine there was a lot for you to do, centuries of piled up work must be a pain in the ass. You have my sympathies."

"I appreciate that Dio. How have you been?"

"I've been…out of sorts since my friends died. It hasn't been easy. Enough about that, I assume this isn't a social call?"

"Unfortunately, that is correct. A few minutes ago I received a report of sorts; I'm required to interfere on the quest that you're about to embark on."

My insides went cold when he said that; I don't know if I can survive his 'interference' again. "Is it too late to not go on this quest," I asked him.

"Not at all," he replied. "However, the metaphysical ball has started rolling. If you decide to stop it, I'll be forced to do something…substantially less than pleasant to you."

"Oh that's fucking perfect. Screwed if I do, and royally screwed if I don't, is that it?"

"In a nutshell. The good news is that this quest will even the scales as it were. I doubt you'll die from this quest, since your continued existence is a great boost to the forces of chaos. Killing you would be detrimental, it's the reason your friends died instead of you."

"How lovely," I deadpanned. "At least this won't happen again after this. While we're on this subject, is there a way to tip the scales in my favor?" Rover grinned at that, a roguish grin with enough mischief to make a devil flee in terror.

"There are ways; I was hoping you would ask. I'm not allowed to give you that tidbit of information, but you are allowed to come to that conclusion by yourself. You'd be surprised how many people allow that fact to gloss over them, denying themselves the opportunity to truly mess with the universe. However, we'll speak about this more at a later time. For now, you need to finish this quest."

"Very well. Thanks for telling me this Rover."

"Of course, you dying would throw a wrench in my plans. Just be careful Dio; you've already proven you aren't all powerful." He faded away after saying that, and I thought over what I learned. There's a way to tip the scales in my favor, which will allow Rover to help me out more. I need to make a list of the things I need.

Now with something new to think about, I walked over to the Map room where the Cullis gate is at, and prepared to teleport. The teleportation itself is simple; pour mana into the Cullis gate, and think where you want to teleport to. It does require knowledge of an existing Cullis gate at your destination, because a gate won't search for another. How exactly the gates perform the teleportation is beyond me, although I do hope to replicate the effect someday. The sensation of teleporting is very disorienting; bright lights force you to close your eyes, and it feels as if your entire body is compressed, and then forcibly expanded. It isn't a feeling you ever really get used to, and I vomited the first time I teleported. The process takes about ten seconds, during which you can't open your eyes or hear anything. I'm not ashamed to say I panicked my first time, and the process still makes me uneasy. But it's a better and faster alternative then walking all the way to Oakvale.

As the lights died down I took a look at Oakvale, and what I saw shocked me; dead bodies litter the streets, while fire burned the buildings down. It seems we were notified too late, but at least I decided to teleport here instead of walking.

Thankfully there aren't any bandits near the Cullis gate, so they don't know I'm here yet. A walkway to my left leads to a bridge that overlooks the town and it should also provide some cover since it's covered by walls on all sides. I headed towards it, hoping I'm not noticed. If I remember correctly, Maze is the one who led the bandits to attack Oakvale under orders from Jack. If he sees me here he might decide to dispose of me, and I know I can't defeat him.

I reached the bridge, and glanced inside; only two bandits are inside, but they're both facing my direction. Might as well take a gamble.

"Evening gentlemen," I said as I approached them. "It's a lovely day to pillage isn't it?"

If these two were smart, they would try to kill me as quickly as possible, or alert the others in case I have backup. However, these two are idiots; they looked at each other, smirked, and walked towards me after brandishing their blades.

"Well looky here Jimmy," the ugly one said, "We got ourselves a walking idiot here." " _I don't want to hear that from you. And seriously, what kind of bandit name is Jimmy anyways?"_ "Ain't you got any sense boy" the uglier one said, "Ain't you got a clue what's going on here?"

"Of course I do; you all managed to sack this backwater village. It's an impressive feat really. I was wondering if you were recruiting. Any group that could pull off something this impressive is a group I want to be in."

They turned to each other, clearly not expecting my words. Throughout our entire conversation I gathered mana towards my hands, and the moment they got close enough I released a shard of ice at each of them. It took a moment for them to register the shards imbedded in their chests, and before they could scream I drew my sword and decapitated them. Now with the bridge clear I took a moment to survey the town through the windows; I can only see about a dozen bandits, but whether that's the entire force or merely what's left behind is a mystery. I could feel my rage building as I saw the bandits pillage the town and desecrate the bodies. Once again, I couldn't prevent a tragedy, even if I knew that it would happen.

I took out my bow and began aiming at the bandits I could see. I used wind magic to speed up the arrows, and telekinesis to make sure no shot missed. Thankfully the bandits were spread throughout the village, so I was able to kill most of them without any noticing. When only three were left, I put away my bow and rushed to the town. The bandits are in front of the town pub, a pile of bottles filled with alcohol near them. I noticed that each of them had plenty of alcohol spilled over them, so when I got close enough to them I shot a steam of fire, which ignited the alcohol on their clothes. The three of them ran around on fire, screaming the whole time. I let them scream too see if they would attract any hidden bandits. Soon enough four more emerged from the houses, one with his pants around his ankles. The first two rushed me, while one fumbled for a bow he had, and the other just stood to see what would happen. The first one to reach me swung his sword, but the swing was sloppy and full of openings, indicating this one has no training. I sidestepped his blow, but before I could retaliate I had to put up a barrier to block the arrow that mook number three shot at me.

By now mook number two was close enough to swing at me, but I blocked his blow. He began to push me through his sword, and I noticed schmuck number one coming to strike again from behind me. I threw myself on the ground, which neither of them seemed to expect; mook number two stood there shocked, while number one continued his swing and decapitated number two. I took advantage of schmuck number one's shock and flash stepped behind him. I ran him through with my sword, while also using him as a shield in case number three shot me. I took a moment to observe the two bandits left; number three was aiming at me, and number four disappeared in the chaos. I threw number two's body to the ground, and blocked the arrow shot at me with a barrier. Number three seemed to realize he couldn't beat me, because he threw his bow to the ground and began to run.

I flash stepped near him, and shot a stream of frost at his feet, incasing them in ice.

"Where do you think you're going scum," I said.

"Please," he cried, "don't kill me!"

"Are you really begging for your life, after slaughtering an entire village?"

"I was just following orders! I didn't do this because I wanted to! Please don't kill me!"

"Whose orders?" He seemed to realize he said too much, because he clammed up. "Not going to talk? Not a problem." I stepped on one of his arms and shot a stream of frost at it. He tried to hold his screams in at first, but when I increased the intensity he began to scream and thrash. I continued to shoot frost into his hand for a few more seconds before stopping. I took my foot off his hand and he clutched it to his chest, moaning in agony the whole time.

"Whoever gave you your orders may kill you, but that's only if I don't kill you first. If you tell me what I want to ill let you go, and then you'll have a chance to survive. However, if you don't talk," I stomped on one of his frozen feet, shattering it. He screamed louder than before, so I stomped on his chest to shut him up. "If you don't talk, I'll do the same to each of your limbs, before killing you. So, what's it going to be?"

He moaned and blubbered for a while longer, until I got tired of hearing him and gathered more frost in my hand. "Fine I'll talk," he screamed. "Just please don't hurt me anymore…"

"Who gave you your orders?"

"I never saw his face. A few days ago a cloaked person came to our camp, asking to speak with our leader Twinblade. Whoever he was he's definitely powerful, because he slaughtered his way to our leader when we told him to shove off. Then he paid us to come and ransack this village, saying he was looking for a specific woman. Twinblade must have known whoever he was, because he kept ranting about 'high and mighty white haired bastards.' We attacked last night, the cloaked person coming along with us. He and some other guy in a red hood took the woman they were looking for, and told us we could do whatever we wanted with everyone left in the village. Everyone else returned to the camp, and we were tasked with taking any valuables back."

There's only one white haired person I know of; Maze. He matches the description perfectly; a male, powerful; enough to slaughter a group of bandits, and Twinblade would know him since he's a former hero. Maze would also cover his face so no one recognizes him. The motive behind the attack also matches what I know; he wanted to capture Scarlet something, the mother of the hero from the first game. The person in the red hood must be Jack, the mastermind behind all this.

"Were there any survivors," I asked him.

"Not that I know of…..wait there was one. There was a little girl we found sometime during the raid. Murphy and his boys took her away, probably to…well; they have…a _peculiar_ taste in women."

"Fucking disgusting. Where did they go?" He hesitated in telling me, and I frowned. "Either you tell me, or your hand is the next to go."

"Fine you fucking psychopath, just don't hurt me again. There's a small camp a few hours to the east from here. There are a few supplies there, and they headed in that direction."

"I see. Thanks for telling me."

"Fuck off you sod. Now let me go, I told you all I know."

Instead of doing that, I used telekinesis to bring two bottles of alcohol over to us. When they arrived I formed four large shards of ice, and impaled them through his legs and shoulders into the ground, so he can't escape.

"FUCK, WHAT THE FUCK MAN, YOU SAID YOU'D LET ME GO!" He continued to scream other obscenities, which got on my nerves, so I formed a slab of frost on his mouth and froze it there. He began to cry and struggle, but all that did is tear pen his wounds further.

"I did say that, but I couldn't in good conscience let scum like you walk the earth. And this is also revenge for what you did to these people. And to make sure you can't escape," I stomped on his other frozen foot, also shattering it. He screamed, but the slab of ice on his mouth made sure it wasn't too loud. I opened the bottles of alcohol and poured them over him, covering as much of his body as I could. I formed fire in my hand, and looked him in the eyes; they were wide with fear, and he was begging me not to kill him. I hesitated for a moment, but a look at what remained of the village eased my worries.

"This is revenge for what you've done. Suffer." I threw the fire at him, and it quickly spread over his body. Despite my bravado, I couldn't watch him slowly die, nor did I have time to; I need to find the camp he spoke about and see if the girl he spoke of is still alive. While I have no proof that the camp exists and I'm not walking into a trap, I have to check; something good needs to come out of all this. Before leaving I swept the town for any survivors, but I found none. The conditions of the bodies were deplorable; some were dismembered, while the lack of clothing on others showed they were raped. I regretted what I did to that bandit less with each body I found. Strangely enough I couldn't find the Hero of Oakvale, so he must have either hid somewhere far from the village, or Maze already took him to the Guild.

I headed to the East to find the bandit camp, making sure I avoided the bandit I left for dead. Now I won't ever know if he lived or died, so it won't bother me.

-Skip-Clip-Rip-Dip-

While the trip to the camp should have taken a few hours, I was able to shorten it to one hour through judicious use of flashstep. It drained the majority of my mana reserves, but speed was a necessity; I have no idea how long the girl will be alive. The bandits left tracks from Oakvale to their camp, so I simply had to follow them. The tracks led to a forest, and eventually into a hut the size of a house in a clearing, which I assume is the camp. One bandit was a distance away from the camp, taking a piss on a tree. I used a flashstep to appear behind him and decapitated him. I hid his body behind a copse of trees, and sneaked over to the hut. I headed towards the door when it opened, so I hid behind the hut.

"How was the girl," I heard someone say. I saw three men walk past my hiding place; thankfully none of them noticed me.

"The little bitch stopped screaming after I smacked her around a bit, but I'm not sure if I should be happy about that or not!" All three of them laughed and I felt disgusted, but at least I know I'm in the right place.

"Is Malcolm with her," the first one asked.

"Nah, he's taking a piss somewhere out here. Adam's with her at the moment."

"We'll move on after he's done with her," the first one said, "we've spent too long here; the others will wonder where we are. Twinblade won't be happy if we spend too long playing with the little bitch."

"Murphy, what should we do with the girl?"

"We kill her; we can't bring her with us after all."

"What a shame, she's a Purdy little thing."

"That she is, but don't worry; there'll be others."

The three of them laughed at that, and I decided I'd heard enough. I drew my bow and shot the bandit at the left, he went down without a sound. The other two bandits apparently have common sense, because instead of looking back to see who shot them they jumped aside and ran towards a group of trees for cover. I did manage to shoot one of the two bandits as he ran, who fell to the floor and stopped moving. The third, who I realized was Murphy, managed to find cover behind the group of trees.

"Who the fuck are you," he asked. You have no idea who you're messing with!" Instead of replying I hid behind a tree. I no longer have enough mana for a flashstep, so I have to draw him out somehow. Murphy apparently has a working brain, because he didn't burst out behind cover. I have to find some way to get him out….ah, I've got it.

"Where are you assassin," I heard him say. "Why not come out and fight like a man, instead of shooting people when their backs are turned?" I ignored his rambling, and concentrated on compressing as much fire as I could into a ball of air. I poured everyiota of mana I had left, and threw it over to the trees Murphy was at. When it reached his location, I let the ball of wind and fire explode, which lit Murphy on fire. He ran out screaming, and I tried to shoot him with my bow. Unfortunately Murphy was moving too fast for me to hit, so I absorbed the fire on him along with the fire spreading on the trees. He ran around screaming for a while longer, before realizing he was no longer on fire. He stopped for a second to try and figure out where the fire went, and I took that moment to attack. I shot an arrow at his foot in case he somehow manages to avoid me again. He began to scream again, and I shot an arrow at his head to shut him up. I'd love to have killed him slowly, but from what these bastards said there's still one more guy with the girl, and he surely heard me kill his friends. Before I left, I stabbed the three bandits through the heart, to make sure they're dead.

I headed towards the hut, keeping an eye out in case I see the last bandit. It would be just my luck for him to sneak up on me. I walked over to the only window in the hut, and used my mirror to look inside. I saw the bandit looking out the door, with the girl in his hands. When he saw the coast was clear, he walked out.

"Murphy, Malcolm, are you guys all right," he yelled. No one responded, which only freaked him out further. "Come on guys," he said, with a clear undercurrent of fear in his voice, "come out and stop messing with me." I walked back to one of the dead bandits, and cut off his head. Then, I dusted myself off and made sure my breathing is even, and walked to the remaining bandit while brandishing his dead friends head.

"I regret to inform you that your friends are no longer with us." He whirled around to face me, and his eyes shot open in surprise, and no small amount of fear, when he saw me carrying his friends head.

"Who….who are you?"

"Just a concerned citizen, who saw what you wastes of space did to Oakvale."

"S-Stay back, or I'll kill the girl!" I noticed that he was holding up the girl by her hair, and held a knife to her throat. I remained calm, despite the panic I could feel rising; the only thing I can do now is call his bluff.

"Now now, no need to do anything drastic. Instead of killing the girl you should just….catch," I threw the severed head as I said that, and in his panic he dropped both the girl and the knife to catch the head. Thank goodness for automatic responses. He froze after catching the head, and I took advantage of that to kick him away from the girl, then drew my sword and attacked. Like the others, this bandit must have some amount of training because he quickly recovered from his shock. He jumped to his feet **,** rage adorning his face, and threw the severed head at me as hard as he could. I was forced to dodge to the side, and he took that moment to draw his axe. He rushed me and swung, but when I stepped aside to avoid the blow he threw a rock at me head that he picked at some point. The rock struck me on the forehead, and I closed my eyes involuntarily. A strong blow then hit my arm, forcing my hand to open, which caused me to drop my sword. I jumped back and drew a knife from my belt, the bandit rushing me once again. This time I crouched under his blow, and stabbed him in the thigh. Hescreamed and tried to remove the dagger, and I took this moment to pick up my sword. I turned back to him, and while he already removed the dagger, his leg could no longer support his full weight. I went on the offensive this time, hacking and slashing wherever I could. He managed to avoid all of my fatal strikes, but minor injuries started to appear of his body. I took a step back to bait him, and the schmuck followed through **;** as soon as he saw an opening, he swung blindly, fueled by rage and desperation. This was an easy blow to dodge, and I took the opportunity to kick his injured leg as hard as I could. He screamed and stumbled, so I took advantage of that and cut off the arm he wielded the axe with. He fell to his knees screaming in agony, his multiple injuries apparently too much for him.

I walked over to decapitate him and put him out of his misery, but apparently there's still some fight left in him; when I drew my arm back to strike, he tackled me and we both fell to the ground. He immediately straddled me and hit me across the face, and I let go of my sword to block his blows. He continued to hit me, but with only one arm he simply couldn't keep an intense enough barrage of blows to incapacitate me. I managed to sneak in a few blows myself, and he must have realized he wasn't having much of an effect; he jumped off of me and grabbed hold of my sword.

I quickly stood up, but he was already mid swing. However he overreached his strike, allowing me to dodge it. Momentum forced him to continue his attack, so I punched him in the nose. I felt a satisfying crunch as his nose cracked, and he once again let go of his weapon, this time to hold his nose in pain. By this time I'm sore and tired, so I drew my last knife from my belt and tackled him. I held his only arm down and stabbed him in the chest repeatedly. He buckled and tried to throw me off, but I resisted and continue to stab him. I'm not sure when he died exactly, because I continued to stab him until my arm got tired. I looked at him, and felt disgusted at what I did; his leather vest is torn, and blood oozed from his wounds, some of which are large enough to see the mangled flesh underneath. I want nothing more than to wash the filth off me and sleep for an eternity, but I still have to deal with the girl.

I stood up and walked over to where I last saw her; at some point during the fight we ended up on the other side of the hut. She's still there, in the same spot she was dropped; It doesn't appear as if she moved an inch, which is strange; she should have ran for her life the moment she was out if his grasp. As I walked over to her I could see how she looked, and the state she's in made me wish the deaths of all five bastards had been as slow and painful as possible; black and purple bruises covered every inch of her skin, while numerous cuts litter her body. The mixture of blood and semen smeared between her legs clearly showed what happened to her, while the bruises in the shape of a hand on her throat supported that fact. However, the sorts of her injuries were her eyes; two raw and bloody pits occupy the space where they should be. Her eyes were removed, and that along with her red hair gave me an idea of who she is. But I'll leave that thought for later.

She heard me approaching, because she began to whimper and tremble. I kneeled down beside her, but made sure not to touch her.

"Hey there," I said softly. "I'm not here to hurt you. My name is Dio; I'm with the Heroes' Guild. The five men who had you are dead, I've killed them all."

She didn't react to that immediately, but I have enough patience to wait. She eventually realized that I'm not going to harm her, which seemed to calm her down a bit.

She spoke, her voice soft and scratchy, her throat is probably damaged. "Are…are you going to hurt me?"

"Not at all, I'm here to help you if you'll allow me to. I can take away the pain, and I have food and water."

"And…and the bad men? What if they find me again?"

"They won't; I've killed them all, even the ones back in your village. There's no one left to hurt you now." She started to cry when I told her that, although if the cause is the stress of what happened to her or the news that her captors are dead is unknown to me. Probably both. After a while she stopped crying, and sat up and faced me.

"Did you see my mom in the village? The bad men took her away."

"No, I'm sorry. Everyone at the village is dead, and I didn't go to their camp." There's no use in lying to her now, I need her to trust me. She stayed quiet for a moment, before speaking up again.

"….why…?"  
"Hmm? Could you repeat that please?"

"Why couldn't you help my parents **,"** she practically screamed at me. It seems everything that happened caused her to breakdown. Not like I can blame her. "Why couldn't you help me! You said you were a hero. Why couldn't you help us sooner! What kind of hero are you!"

That left me speechless; what can I say that won't come off as a pathetic excuse? I stayed silent, which must have pissed her off because she slowly got up and stumbled towards me. She started to hit me, and while she has no strength to put any weight behind her blows, each blow felt as if a hammer delivered it. She continued to cry and yell at me, although everything she said is unintelligible. She eventually got too tired to continue hitting me, and just slumped against me, sniffling.

"I know you're mad," I told her, "but we need to leave. More bandits could come at any time," she froze at that, "and you're still injured. I'll be able to heal your injuries later, but I need you to deal with them for now, can you do that?"

She nodded, so I picked her up and we walked away. She still trembled and looked hesitant, but she either trusts me, or realizes that I'm her only chance at survival. Either one works, as long as I manage to save her life. I walked as quickly as I could, but our pace is still slow because I don't want to jostle her and harm her further. It's better not to take her to the Guild at this moment; the large amount of people there could scare her. She stayed quiet the entire trip, too injured, tired, or afraid, to talk. Probably all three. She did however, begin to hyperventilate when I set her down after walking for two miles.

"Calm down," I told her, "I'm not going to hurt you. We're far enough from the camp that I can treat your wounds; you've bled all over me, and your wounds might get infected. I won't do it if you don't want me to, but I highly recommend you allow me to help you."

She looked unsure, but I didn't press the issue. After a moment she gave a small nod, and stepped closer. "'I'm going to open my pack," I told her. "I have medicine and bandages in there, which is what I'll use to treat you." I took out the bandages, which are really nothing more than boiled strips of cloth, and the medicine, which is an ointment made up of local medicinal herbs. Neither is hard to acquire, but they're both invaluable out in the field, since the ointment helps to staunch bleeding and speeds up healing. I grabbed her arm to apply the ointment, but she flinched and pulled away.

"There's no need to worry, I won't harm you. Like I said before, if you don't want me to do this, I won't. All I'm going to do is apply the ointment to stop the bleeding, and wrap your injuries with bandages. The pain you feel will also go away. So, will allow me to help you? I will have to touch you, but if you want me to stop at any time all you have to do is tell me."

She looked hesitant, but she eventually nodded. "Please make the pain go away," she said.

Most of her wounds are minor lacerations, so all I have to do is smear the ointment and cover them with bandages. The bruises are something I will have to wait until my mana fills up enough for me to heal her. She flinched a little when I touched her, but she didn't pull away, which is a good sign.

"There, all done. I can't do anything about your bruises at this moment, but when my I gather enough of my mana I will be able to heal them." She gave a small nod at that, but didn't say anything further. "There is however, something we need to talk about." She flinched when I said that, but didn't otherwise react. "You have a few choices about where to go available right now. I could teleport to the Heroes Guild, where you could receive help immediately. What happens after that, I don't know. I could also teleport you to Bowerstone, where a healer could heal you, but you'll probably end up an orphanage there." I gave her a moment to think about those choices, knowing that neither sounds very appealing. I feel bad about manipulating her into choosing the third choice, but I'd rather protect her myself. I'm not sure why.

"Are those my only choices," she asked.

"No, there is one more. I could take you to the village where I live at; it's a quiet town, so no one would bother you. And it's only a day away from the Heroes Guild, so there's very little chance that anyone would attack it. Even if they do, I would be there to protect you." I gave her a moment to think about her choices, but she decided in under a minute.

"If I went to your village, where would I live?"

"There are a few families that could take care of you, all of them people that I've known for a while, and none of them would hurt you. If that doesn't sound good, there is an unused cabin at the edge of the village, and I'm sure no one would deny you the chance to live there." She looked unsure at all the choices, but she didn't say anything. After giving her a moment to think about all her choices, I spoke again.

"Or, if you don't like any of those choices, there is one more; you could come live with me." She froze when I said that, but didn't react negatively, so I continued. "You have no reason to trust me, but all I can do is promise you that I mean you no harm. I hope that what I've done up till now can convince you of that, even if only a little. It's your decision really, and you can take as long as you need to decide." She didn't say anything for a while, so I left her alone to decide. I kept my eyes and ears open for any danger; it would be just my luck for us to get attacked because I stopped paying attention.

She mulled over the decisions, before speaking again. "Why would you help me? You don't know me."

"That….is a good question really. You remind me of myself when I was near your age, although what happened to me was nowhere near as bad. I was captured and held as ransom for my parents, and they never noticed. I had to escape myself, and I accidentally killed my captor when she tried to stop me. And all my parents said about it was 'how could I inconvenience them like this.' My parents never cared for me, but I had my grandparents to help me through everything. You have no one left, and when I look at you I feel like helping you, to do something actually meaningful with my life. I've never had anything to care about, so I've never done anything with my life. Even my career as a Hero has been a disaster; my best friends were killed during our first quest. But I'm getting off topic now. I want to help you, if you'll allow me to. If you don't feel comfortable being around me, there are other options available to you, like I said before. Even if you choose to live alone in the cabin in my village, you could always come to me for help. In the end the decision is yours."

She mulled over it for a while longer, but still didn't seem to decide. She didn't say anything at least.

"While I don't want to rush you," I said, "we can't stay here much longer; someone could pick up or trail. Why don't we continue walking while you come to a decision?" She nodded, seeming grateful that she had more time to think it over. "Then do you feel strong enough to walk, or would you like me to carry you again?" _"I'd rather ask her just in case; after what happened to her, I wouldn't be surprised if she developed Androphobia."_

"My legs still hurt…could you carry me?"

"Sure, it's not a problem." _"At least she doesn't seem to be too scared of me."_

I picked her up again, and we walked for another few miles. I headed in the general direction of Oakvale, it being the only landmark I knew nearby. I still have the map to Bowerstone to Oakvale, so I'll use that if I have to. The two of us walked in silence for a few hours, before I heard her stomach grumble.

"Sounds like you're hungry," I said. She didn't respond, but I could feel her head nod against my shoulder. "Do you think you can eat, or does your throat hurt too much?" She shook her head, so I inspected the amount of mana I had gathered by now. "I can heal the injuries in your throat, but only that one. If I do, it'll be a while before I can heal any other injuries, but I do have some food in my pack for us to eat. Do you want me to do that?" She looked up and nodded so fast I thought her neck would break. I set her down, and gathered mana to my hand.

"I'll have to put my hand against your throat for me to do this, but it won't take long for the pain to go away, understand?" She looked hesitant, but nodded anyways. "Ok then, hold still, this won't take long." Healing her throat only took ten seconds, but it drained what little mana I managed to gather. She put her hands to her throat as soon as I finished, and smiled a bit. "Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome." I took out a plate, along with a fork and knife. One of the first thigs I had Rover bring me were eating utensils, since I've always hated to touch my food with my hands. I also haven't seen anyone else use any spoons or forks, and I didn't feel like whittling some out of wood.

"All I have is mutton and bread, along with water," I told her. I passed along the bread and meat to her along with a flask of water, which she began to devour, eating the meat before anything else. I wonder when the last time she ate was? I have no idea if Oakvale was a particularly rich town, so meat may have been a rarity there. While we at the guild eat meat regularly, the same can't be said of surrounding villages. She finished enough food to fill a grown man fairly quickly, so it probably had been a few days since she ate. She burped loudly, which made me laugh, which embarrassed her if the coloring of her cheeks is any indication.

"Sorry," she quietly said. "And thank you."

"You're welcome. Would you like anymore?" She hesitated, but shook her head. "Are you sure? There's no need to be shy. You can eat as much as you want, I won't harm you. And you don't need to worry about me running out, I have plenty of food."

"Then…could I have some more meat?" I chuckled, but gave her some more anyways. I took out an entire leg of mutton this time, and sliced it to small pieces before passing it along to her. She ate all of it, but slowly this time, as if she's afraid it would run out. It took a few minutes, but she eventually finished. I gave her a tablecloth so she could wipe herself, since the grease from the meat was all over her face.

"Are you ready to go," I asked her. She hesitated again, before turning towards my voice.

"You said I could come live with right?"

"I did. Is that your decision?" She looked down at her feet, seeming to deliberate to herself. After a few seconds she looked towards me, her face a mixture of apprehension and determination.

"Then, if you'll let me, could I come live with you?"

I smiled. "If that's what you want, then by all means." She gave me a little smile at that.

"Could you tell me your name," she asked me. I realized that I never told her my name, nor did she tell me hers.

"My name is Dio, Dio Trajan. And yours?"

"I'm Theresa." Ah, so I was right; this Theresa is the sister of the Hero of Oakvale, the Hero from the first game. I remembered that Twinblade was supposed to find and raise her after Oakvale was sacked. Then, is it my fault that she was raped and beaten? It's better if I don't think about that. Besides, who knows what would happen to a little girl alone in a bandit camp. Probably what did happen to her. At least I saved her.

"Thank you for saving me Dio. I'm sorry I yelled at you before."

"Don't be, I thought the same thing. At least I was able to save you. And who knows, your mother may still be alive." She nodded, but didn't say anything else.

"Well Theresa, we have two options available to us right now; we could walk to my village, or we could teleport to the Guild first and go from there."

"You can teleport?!"

"Yes, it's how I got to your village. I received the quest from the Guild master this morning." The reminder of her village spoiled her mood again, so I decided to distract her.

"If we go to the Guild first there are beds and food there, along with people who can heal you. Or if you'd like, we could walk to my village from here. That'll take a few days however."

"Will there be a lot of people at the Guild?"

"A few, but its already nighttime, most will be asleep. No one will bother you, and we could leave if you ever feel uncomfortable."

"Will you…stay with me?"

"Of course, as long as you want me to." She mulled over the decision a while longer, but no matter how you look at it the best choice is clear; I doubt that she wants to spend days walking in the heat to get to the guild, when she could get there instantly. She gave me a small nod, which I interpreted as 'let's teleport.'

"Hold on tight," I told her, "Teleportation is extremely uncomfortable." She nodded again, and I picked her up. I took out the Guild seal, and poured mana into it. Thankfully it allows a Hero to teleport to the Guild from anywhere. The familiar blinding lights filled my vision, and with a loss of all my senses, the two of us teleported to the Guild.

 **AN:**

 **Well, that's a wrap. I apologize again for how long it took to finish this chapter, it shouldn't happen often. It should still only take me 1-2 weeks per chapter. I'll take this moment to answer a few questions you may have. There will be a few minor spoilers, but they're just things you can find on the fable wiki.**

 **-Maze hates Dio because of his hair color. The wiki says that Jack of blades has silver hair, and Maze hates Jack because Jack forced him to be his unwilling servant after saving Maze's life years ago. So when Maze sees Dio's silver hair, he's reminded of Jack. A little petty, but it's the reason Maze avoids Dio like the plague: he knows it's petty, and doesn't want to do something stupid. He will slip up though.**

 **-Theresa may seem like she warmed up to Dio really quickly, but I have three reasons for that. First, Dio is the person who saved her and took away her pain. He also fed her, and promised to take care of her. I aimed for a knight in shining armor effect. Second, Rover's chaos powers affected the entire thing, which allowed her to trust him easier. And last, I did say Dio will have a passive charismatic effect, which allowed her to trust him easier also. I hope you guys like the scene.**

 **Next chapter will be the last before Harry Potter, and ill inform you all a little of what I plan to do. If you all have any questions or suggestions, feel free to message me or leave a review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**The next chapter will begin the HP arc, but won't be story based. Instead, it will be a list of Dio's powers, along with a list that details my impressions of various characters from the HP world, along with Dio, Irene and Theresa. I will also explain where I plan to take each character, but I'll give as few spoilers as possible. I will answer any possible questions you all may have, but I can't answer questions I haven't been asked. I wonder how many of you will correctly guess what series the surprise character in this chapter is from? Hint, it isn't from Fable or HP, it's from a series I plan to visit sometime in the future. I also started a forum to discuss this story, because I feel it would be easier to talk about the story on there, and I would love for you all to visit! Enjoy, and please leave a review!**

"Speech"= A normal conversation

"Speech"= Thoughts, telepathy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or Fable; they belong to JK Rowling and Microsoft respectively. I only own Dio, and I make no money off of this story.

As the my senses returned and I noticed we arrived at the guild, I held Theresa away from me; as I expected her to, she retched everything she ate earlier today.

"Come now," I said, "I thought you'd have a stronger stomach than that." She didn't respond and continued dry heaving. While I am poking fun at her, this is pretty common first reaction to teleportation. I patted her back until she recovered, and had to stifle a chuckle at how downtrodden she looked. It's unbelievable cute. "Do you feel better now?"

"That was horrible," she replied. "Why didn't you tell me it would feel like that?"

"Because that would have been no fun."

"…you're evil." I smirked, but let the topic go. I looked around the Map room, but there's no one currently stationed here. I hope the Guild master is here somewhere; I'd rather not deal with Maze at this moment. Nor do I want Theresa anywhere near him, since he may recognize who she is.

"Come on," I told her as I grabbed her hand, "there's someone I need to meet." I felt her stiffen, but she followed me regardless. "There's no need to worry, I just need to tell him that I found you, and that ill report what happened after I take care of you. He'll also be the one who'll order the healers to tend to you. You don't need to speak to him." She nodded, and I felt her hand relax a little. As we headed to Weaver's room, we passed the quartermaster, and I informed him that Theresa threw up near the Cullis gate. He nodded and said someone would take care of it.

Since it's currently night time, the Guild is mostly empty. A few of the older apprentices are patrolling the grounds, but thankfully none of them stopped us. I felt Theresa flinch and pull away as one of the patrolling apprentices tripped over a rock and made a racket, so I squeezed her hand to reassure her.

"It's alright." I told her. "That was just an idiot who tripped. I won't let anyone harm you, ok?" Instead of responding she clung to me tightly. It makes walking a little difficult, but if it calms her down, then ill deal with it. When we arrived at the Guildmaster's tower, I scowled; we need to climb stairs to get to him.

"Theresa, we need to climb a couple of stairs, would you like to do it yourself, or would you like me to carry you?" She thought about it for a moment, before reaching up to me with both hands. I chuckled at how cute she looked, but complied and picked her up anyways. She clung to my neck as I climbed the stairs, and I smiled at how she seems to trust me. This could have been much more difficult if she was afraid of me. We arrived at the door at the top of the stairs, and I knocked. I felt relied when I heard the Guildmaster's voice tell me to come in, so I gave Theresa a reassuring pat on her back and entered the room.

"Ah Dio," the Guildmaster said, "and…you brought a guest?" I felt Theresa stiffen when he mentioned her, so I pat her on the back once again.

"She's a special type of guest," I told him. "Remember what we talked about this morning? I found her as a result of that."

"And the fate of the village?" I did a throat slashing motion, and he gave me a nod, understanding what I mean. "And what do you plan on doing with the girl?"

"She decided on coming to live with me, so ill raise her for the time being."

"I assume you wish to be taken off active duty in the meantime?"

"That's correct, but I will return periodically in case I find an interesting quest. However, if a quest that requires my specific talents appears, I may take it, so I would appreciate it if you would alert me if one appears."

"That shouldn't be an issue. The abundance of quests you've undertaken in the last few months will make up for your absence." He gave me a disapproving glare as he said that, and I could only smile nervously. I admit I may have been a little reckless in the amount of quests I took after my friends deaths. But I did need a way to vent, and bashing in and not getting in trouble for it seemed like a perfect solution.

"That reminds me, could you notify the healers that Theresa here needs healing? She was injured, and I'm not skilled enough in healing to treat her wounds."

"Of course. Will you take her to the infirmary now, or at a later time?"

I looked at Theresa, and noticed that she isn't moving, and her breathing is light. I shook her a little, and when she didn't react I realized she fell asleep.

"I'll take her at dawn," I told him. "Also, could you ensure that at least one female doctor is present? And that the doctor is separated from the others?"

"I could do that Dio, but why is that necessary?" I frowned before telling hum, and I couldn't keep the venom out of my voice.

"She was….manhandled…by bandits. I managed to save her, but she was with them for hours. I haven't been able to heal all of her injuries." Weaver's face darkened as I told him what happened to her.

"What of the bandits who had her?"

"All dead, I made sure of it. There's no longer any way to track either of us."

"Very well Dio, I'll have it arranged. Will the two of you spend the night in the Guild?"

"That's what I plan on doing. We'll leave tomorrow after the healer sees Theresa. Is my old room still available?"

"I believe it is. I'll speak to the healers, and make sure they're prepared to see her tomorrow morning. Are you sure that you want to wait until tomorrow to treat her?"

"I'm sure. She's asleep, and I'd rather not wake her up. She must be tired after everything that happened, both physically and mentally. I want her to rest a little, that way she'll be in less pain tomorrow. Healing her may take a while, so it would be better if she's well rested." He nodded and looked pleased, making me wonder if he asked that to gauge my response. It's definitely something he would do.

"Very well then Dio, take the girl to rest. Make sure you rest also; you look like shit."

"Why gee Guildmaster, thanks for your kind words."

"You'll get over it brat. And before you leave Dio, I need to tell you one last thing; that girl in your arms has been through far too much in too little time, and you know that better than I do. If I ever find out that you've mistreated her, I'll kill you myself. Understand?" I felt a shiver go up my spine; I've seen how proficient the Guildmaster is with his Will abilities, and I can honestly say he far outstrips me. He's called Weaver for a reason; I've seen him seamlessly weave together completely different attack without breaking a sweat. I hold no delusions that I can beat him in a serious fight, but I at least have an idea of the level that I have to reach.

"I would expect no less from you," I told him. "But I have no plans on ever harming her."

"Nor do I believe you ever will Dio. However, it's something I had to say. Now, if that is all?" I nodded at his unspoken question, and headed out of the room. I made sure to have a good grip on Theresa, as I'd rather not drop her. The trip to my room was uneventful, but walking through the Guild brought many memories back. Most of the memories are bittersweet, as they're about Rose, Katherine or Tristan, all people who've left me somehow. The rest of my memories are about training with the Guildmaster, and it dawned on me on how isolated I've spent the last three years here. I've spent most of my time with the same four people, none of which I spend much time with, if any at all. At least it seems that Theresa will be around often.

The two of us arrived at my room, and I smiled bitterly at how little it changed; the same furniture is there, although the room no longer looks lived in. Even though I've been gone for four months, the room doesn't look any different. I doubt my room looked any different than anybody else's during the years I lived here. And I never even noticed that, I was too busy training to realize how isolated I was becoming. And Rover did say that he removed the compulsion field that made people not enter the room. Well at least I'm not living here any longer.

I set down Theresa on the bed, although it was difficult to pry her off me without waking her up. She tossed around and mumbled for a bit, but she settled down once I covered her with the blanket. " _She's cute,"_ I thought, as I checked her over for any serious injuries. I directed what mana I have inside her to heal any internal injuries she may have; it wouldn't do for her to die in her sleep. Satisfied, I lay beside the bed and went to sleep. " _Tomorrow's a new day, in more ways than one. I just hope everything goes well."_

In hindsight, I should have realized that thinking that as I fell asleep would severely jinx me. I awoke to a shrill screaming, and was hit in the face by something. I jumped to my feet and looked around the room, while conjuring fire in each hand. The screaming continued, and I noticed that it's Theresa screaming, while tossing around.

"What's wrong," I asked as I approached her. She continued to scream instead of answering me, so I tried to hold her down. However all that did is cause her to scream louder.

"THERESA," I yelled, "CALM DOWN!" I covered her mouth to stop her screaming and held one arm down, while the other began to punch and scratch at me. "Theresa, it's me Dio, calm down." It seems that she heard me, because she stopped screaming. I gently took my hands off her, and backed away slowly. Before I could ask her if she's ok, she launched herself at me and began sobbing uncontrollably into my shoulder. I froze, unsure what to do. I heard running outside and a group of apprentices barged into my room, weapons drawn. Theresa flinched at the noise they caused, so I gestured for them to lower their weapons, pointing at Theresa and mouthing 'nightmare.' They nodded and didn't say anything further, although quite a number of them had scowls over what happened.

Theresa continued to tremble and sob in my arms, so I softly patted her head to try and calm her down.

"Shh," I said, "no one's going to hurt you here; there's nothing to be afraid of." She didn't respond and continued to sob, so I sat down and continued to hold her. It was at least half an hour later that she began to calm down, so I decided to talk to her.

"What happened?" She didn't respond, and the silence slowly crawled by. Just when I decided that she wouldn't say anything, she softly said one thing.

"I had a nightmare about what happened. I saw them take my mom away and kill everyone, and then…what they did to me." I held her a little tighter, not knowing what to say. We continued to sit there for another hour until she calmed down and stopped crying.

"Do you feel better now," I asked her. She nodded, and game me a watery smile. "Then do you want to go to the healer now?" She looked apprehensive, so I tried to assuage her fears. "I talked to the Guildmaster last night while you were asleep. He assured me that it would be a woman that treats you, so there's nothing to fear from that." Theresa looked noticeably relieved, making me wonder if she did develop a mild case of Androphobia. If she has it doesn't seem to pertain to me, as she's comfortably been in my arms for almost two hours now. Maybe she trusts me since I was the one who saved her? It doesn't really matter; if she trusts me it's a good thing, and I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"And after you're healed, we can get some food in you. You must be hungry since you did throw everything up last night." As if on cue, her stomach rumbled, and she smiled sheepishly. "See, I knew it. So, let's get you healed and get some food in you ok?" She nodded and gave me a grateful smile.

"Thank you Dio," she said.

"For what?"

"For helping me and being there. Yesterday and today."

"I did say I would help you. Now, enough moping. Let's get the day started, and get those injuries of yours heled." She nodded again, and we got up. I made sure to straighten out Theresa's clothes and that she looks presentable, as her lack of eyesight prevents her from doing it. She squirmed a bit, but didn't complain. Before we left I gave her a few slices of meat along with some water, all of which she eagerly devoured. I held her hand and guided her outside, while being grateful that it's early dawn; few people will be awake right now, and I don't want to deal with idiots today. Or any day really.

As we walked Theresa clung to my side and refused to let go of my arm. Actually, I'm sure the flow of oxygen to my arm is severed from how tight she's holding on to my arm. I didn't say anything about it though; if that helps her calm down, then she can do it as often as she wants. As the two of us walked to the infirmary we received strange looks from the few apprentices up at this hour, although whether it's because of Theresa's injuries, or that I of all people am with her, is a mystery. A few people tried to approach us, but a glare from me sent them all scurrying. I guess having a bad reputation does have some uses.

The infirmary is located in the middle of the Guild grounds, and there's always a clear path heading towards it to allow easy access from every part of the Guild. The building itself is large, but unassuming; there aren't any visible signs to indicate that it's an infirmary, which is done on purpose to reduce the possibility the infirmary is targeted in case the Guild is ever attacked. After all, thinking strategically it's smart to attack the infirmary; not only are all the injured who are unable to fight back located there, the healers will most likely be there. Crippling the healers would make any invasion much easier.

The two of us entered the infirmary and were immediately assaulted with the smell of disinfectant. I'm not exactly sure what materials they use as disinfectant, but I know that it works since only the healers are allowed access to it. The hospital is quiet and relatively empty, with the exception of a few injured Heroes lying on cots. The infirmary is a large building, three floors in height. The first floor is where patients are seen and where minor wounds are treated. The second floor is where more serious wounds are treated; this worlds version of 'surgery.' The third floor is the storeroom, but only healers are allowed to go there. A few healers are walking around and attending the patients, but none of them approached to help us. As I looked around the Guildmaster emerged from a different room with a woman in tow.

"Ah there you are Dio," he said. I squeezed Theresa's hand to reassure her, and she squeezed it back. The Guildmaster then gestured to the woman beside him.

"This is Lyn," he said, "one of the oldest healers here. She's experienced in dealing with the…unique issue your young friend here has. She'll be able to heal all of her injuries." Lyn smiled at Theresa, but frowned when she noticed the extent of her injuries. She glared at me, which caused me to flinch. It's never wise to anger a doctor; they know the best way to take you apart, and how to make it look like an accident. Weaver must have noticed her glare, because he chuckled.

"Now now Lyn, Dio had nothing to do with her injuries. From what I gather, her injuries would have been much worse if Dio hadn't hurried to save her." Lyn's face softened a little, although she still looked suspicious. Not accepting the explanation at face value is a good thing, although I hope she doesn't begin to snub me without knowing anything first.

"I'll leave the three of you alone now," the Guildmaster said. "When you're done Dio, meet me in the map room." He left after saying that, so I turned to Lyn. She's wearing the standard healers outfit; brown clothing, with a black smock. I was told dark colors are used in healer's clothing to deter blood stains. Lyn is an older woman; grey can already be seen in her brown hair. That's a good testament to her skills, as not all heroes survive to old age. She also looks like a no nonsense sort of woman, which is a great attitude to have as a doctor. If Weaver trusts her to heal Theresa, then I can trust her also.

"Well the Mr. Trajan," Lyn said, "if you and your friend will follow me upstairs?" I nudged Theresa along, and the three of us headed to the second floor. I had to carry Theresa up the stairs again, while Lyn kept shooting glares at me the entire time. Somehow, I get the feeling that she doesn't like me. The second floor is mostly a hallway divided into separate rooms where healing takes place, unlike the wide areas in the first floor. Lyn took us to an empty room at the end of hallway, and I noticed that all the rooms around us are occupied. She gave Theresa privacy, so even if she doesn't like me she isn't taking it out on Theresa.

"Now dear," Lyn said to Theresa, "why don't you sit down on the bed so I can see what's wrong with you?" Theresa looked at me for confirmation, an act Lyn didn't miss if the narrowing of her eyes is any indication. I took Theresa to the bed and hoisted her on it, then patted her head to reassure her.

"Now you," Lyn said to me, "get out while I tend to the girl." " _Yup, definitely doesn't like me."_ I ignored her attitude and turned to Theresa.

"Like the nice lady said," I told her, "I'll be outside while she tends to you ok?" Instead of replying Theresa frantically shook her head, and tightly grabbed on to me again.

"Does that mean you don't want me to go?"

"Don't leave me…" she replied. That surprised me; I thought she would want me to leave for this. It also seemed to piss off Lyn, because she stalked over to us with a furious look on her face.

"Little one…Theresa, do you understand what you're saying? I need to remove your clothes to be able to see your injuries and heal them. Do you really want this man to see you naked?"

" _Ah, so that's her problem; she hates men. Weaver did say she had experience with this situation, maybe she went through it herself?" It would explain why he trusts her; she knows how to deal with this situation. Or she should, but she seems to be someone that allows her emotions to take control of her, at least in this situation."_

Instead of answering, Theresa just clung to me and shied away from Lyn. That pissed off Lyn further, because she glared at me and then gestured to speak to me outside. I rolled my eyes, but nodded anyways. As Lyn stepped out of the room I turned to Theresa.

"I need to step outside for a minute to speak with Lyn. Will you be alright by yourself?"

She nodded, but didn't let go of my shirt. "Are you in trouble because of me," she asked. I chuckled.

"I'm not in trouble and it's certainly not because of you. I admit that Lyn might not like me, but that has nothing to do with you. She probably wants to know specific details of what happened to you, but doesn't want to mention it where you may here." She nodded, but still didn't let go of me. I wrapped my hands around hers and slowly pried them off.

"I'm just going outside the room," I told her. "I'll only be gone a few minutes while I talk to Lyn, and I'll be able to hear you if you call. And you don't need to be afraid; ill return." She smiled brightly at that, so I laughed and ruffled her head. I headed outside the room to where Lyn is at, but as soon as I stepped out she grabbed ahold of my shirt and slammed me against the wall.

"Listen you," she said, "you're going to answer my questions, or I'll make you suffer. What happened to the girl? Where's she from?" I can feel my temper rising, but I resisted the urge to put this bitch in her place as that would make things worse for Theresa. So I grudgingly answered her questions.

"She's from a town called Oakvale. I received a quest yesterday morning to investigate bandit sightings. When I arrived, the town had already been razed. I interrogated one of the bandits that remained, and he informed me that a girl had been taken captive. I headed in the direction he told me, and found a hut. There were four bandits inside, all of which I killed. However, Theresa had already been with them for hours. They abused and raped her, and I healed what injuries I could, like her throat so she could eat. I brought her here last night, and we slept in a room. Then when we woke up we came here." As I finished my explanation Lyn simply sneered at me.

"Is that so? You want me to believe that you just found an abused girl in the middle of the woods and helped her? That you didn't take advantage of her after you killed the bandits who had her? Or maybe you were in league with them the whole time, and just disposed of them after you were done with her. I saw that her eyes were cut out, she wouldn't recognize you."

I think of myself as a pretty calm person, but certain things simply manage to burrow under my skin and alight my temper. Falsely accusing me is one of them, but insinuating that I'm a rapist with absolutely no proof goes far beyond merely pissing me off. I drew both knives from my belt and positioned one at her stomach, and the other at her throat.

"Listen bitch," I said, the loss of my temper causing my power to fluctuate and the temperature around us to drop, "I don't give two shits about what your problem with me is. However, accuse me again and ill rip your tongue out before shredding your throat open. You're here to heal Theresa, not interrogate me. Leave that to your betters, and do what you're supposed to be doing, or I'll find someone who will, understand?"

To her credit, my display didn't garner much of a response from Lyn; her eyes widened in surprise and a bit of fear at my threat, before her mind caught up to what I said and she bristled in fury. However she must have seen something in my eyes to convince her not to continue the argument, because she merely glared at me and spat out "fine." Impressed at her bravery and satisfied that she wouldn't screw around anymore, I put my blades away and we both re-entered the room.

"I'm back Theresa." She perked up at the sound of my voice, which did manage to calm me down. I headed over to her and took ahold of her hand, ignoring Lyn glaring at my back.

"Are you ready Theresa?" She nodded, so I glared at Lyn to tell her to hurry up. Lyn glared back at me, but went over to Theresa and took her torn and filthy dress off while I stood next to her to provide whatever comfort I could. Despite knowing the full extent of her injuries, I was unprepared to truly see the state Theresa's in; black and purple bruises still cover her back and abdomen, and a few along her arms and legs, although to a much lesser degree than yesterday after I provided what healing I could. Cuts still mar her skin, although none seem fatal; they're mostly superficial cuts meant to harm her, since most stopped bleeding long ago. The worse of her cuts are her eyes, which were cut out, and her left nipple, which was sliced in half. The full extent of Theresa's injuries made a chill crawl up my spine, while fury and disgust welled in me. I honestly don't know how Theresa didn't go insane with everything that happened to her, I doubt I would have fared the same. I noticed a shiver that has nothing to do with the cold rack Theresa's body, so I squeezed her hand to try and comfort her.

"Don't worry," I told her, "you'll be healed soon and we can leave, all right?" She smiled gratefully at me, so I squeezed her hand again. Lyn glared at our interaction, but I ignored her. I'd rather not start anything with Theresa near, since she's already under enough stress. I once again glared at Lyn, and even though she glared back at me she understood the underlying message; 'hurry up.'

"Alright little one," Lyn said as she approached Theresa, "lay down on the cot so we can begin."

"I'm not little!" Theresa complained, even as she followed Lyn's instructions. I had to suppress a chuckle at Theresa's comment; it seems she'll be a handful to have around.

"Of course you aren't dear," Lyn patronized her. 'Now, I'm going to heal the injuries I can see, before scanning you for any internal damage you may have. Let me know if anything hurts, ok dearie?" Theresa nodded, and Lyn got to work. A light blue aura was produced over her hands, and she put them directly to Theresa's injuries. Before my eyes, bruises faded away lacerations sealed themselves, leaving clear white skin behind. Despite my proficiency in magic, this display left me speechless, especially with the ease with which Lyn did it; her breathing is still even, and she doesn't look any worse for wear. It's certainly a feat that's beyond my current level of skill; it would require most of my mana to perform the same feat, and I know for a fact that Lyn only has a fraction of my mana; Rover mentioned that in passing once.

Theresa squirmed while her flesh knit back together, but didn't complain otherwise. Her face looked shocked and amazed as Lyn healed her, and I imagine the pain throughout her body is slowly disappearing. Tears flowed down her face once Lyn finished, and I don't blame her; despite my best efforts, Theresa has been in constant pain for hours now. A relief from the pain would seem like a miracle to anyone. The entire healing process took about half an hour –something else that surprised me, since repeating the process would take me much longer- before Lyn frowned sadly when she looked at Theresa's face.

"I'm done healing everything I can see," she told Theresa. 'Do you feel pain anywhere else?" Theresa deliberated over her response for a moment, and even poked various parts of her body before responding.

"No," she said, and the relief in her voice is easy to identify. I picked up a bed sheet and wrapped it around Theresa, eliciting a thankful smile from her. "All of the pain is gone. Except..." as she said that she reached her hand up towards her eyes, which brought a grimace to Lyn's face.

"Unfortunately child, I'm afraid there isn't much I can do about your sight. I can heal the wounds themselves like I did with the others, but regeneration is beyond the power of any human. We are unable to regenerate a simple limb, never mind something as delicate as an eye." Theresa stayed silent, not knowing what to say.

Honestly, neither do I. Being told you'll be blind for the rest of your life isn't easy to hear. However, instead of bawling her eyes out Theresa just grabbed hold of me and stayed quiet, although I can feel her trembling.

"Thank you for helping her Lyn," I said. Lyn glared at me again, before nodding and looking at Theresa.

"I'm sorry that I can't help you little one," she said. "But if you ever need anything," and at this she glared at me again, "and I do mean anything, you can come find me ok?" Theresa nodded, but didn't say anything. Lyn healed the injuries to Theresa's eyes and left, but not before glaring at me one final time. I'm mildly worried that she may complain to the Guildmaster about what I did. Meh, ill deal with it if it comes to that, I have a feeling that he expected something to happen between us; the Guildmaster endeavors to know as much as he can about the people who work for him. I doubt anything serious will happen anyways; he's always been soft on me, and she did start it. But if she goes and complains to Maze….well, he may not even be at the guild yet.

Back with Theresa, she still hadn't said anything.

"Theresa," I said as I shook her a bit," how do you feel?" She didn't respond immediately, but I could the misery in her voice when she did.

"I won't be able to see again," she said. "What can I do now? How will I survive?" While I normally wouldn't know what to say, luckily enough I know exactly what to say.

"If you were a normal person," I said, "I would tell you you're screwed. You however, are unique." She looked towards me when I said that, and she had an adorably confused look on her face, and it took every ounce of my willpower not to squeeze the life out of her.

"What do you mean Dio? How am I unique?"

"You my dear, are unique because you have Hero blood." If she still had eyes, I would imagine they would be open in amazement right now.

"Are…are you sure? Am I really a Hero? How do you know?"

"Yes I'm sure, and yes you are. We have ways to tell who has Hero blood flowing in their veins. And you are definitely a hero, and from what I can tell, a very powerful one, even if you are untrained. "But what does that matter?"

"While a normal person is limited to their eyesight to see, a trained Hero is able to use his or her Will powers as a substitute." I actually have no idea how to do that, but I do remember that in the game Theresa found a way to use her Will powers to see. She did that without any formal training, so I should be able to help her do the same thing. And if things go well, I'll be able to learn how to do the same thing. It's a useful skill to have, since I would no longer need to rely on my eyes to see. I can tell the news made her ecstatic, if the wide smile that threatened to split her face is any indication.

"When can we begin? Where will we be practicing?"

"We could do it anywhere; here at the guild, or at the village where I live. But I do have to make one thing clear to you Theresa; I said that using Will to see is possible, but I don't know how to do it myself, since I've never had to research how to do it." Her face fell at that, and I almost felt bad that I had to burst her bubble. But I have to, since I have no idea how long it will take me to figure out exactly how to do it.

I explained everything I knew about the 'Magic sight' as Theresa called it, until Lyn came back. She brought a change if clothes for Theresa, who asked me to help her change. As Lyn glared at me again, I thanked any gods that exist- but not Rover- that Theresa is a young girl, otherwise all of this could have been very awkward. We also tied a strip of cloth around her eyes, so the mere sight of her doesn't unnerve anyone. As soon as Theresa was dressed, the two of us headed to the kitchens, where Theresa ate enough meat to fill a grown man. Where the food went is beyond me, since I'm sure she ate her own weight in meat, considering how small she is, and she didn't even complain about being full afterwards. She did however; start to sway in her seat, and I assumed the day's events drained her, even if it wasn't noon yet. I took her back to the room to let her sleep. I would have stayed with her, but I remembered that the Guildmaster wanted to see me. And then as I walked out of the room I felt that familiar tug on my mind, and soon enough I heard Irene's voice; _"I'm back!"_

It only took Irene two minutes to fly over to the Male Quarters, where she proceeded to slam into me, knocking us both to the ground.

" _Ow,"_ I said, " _how can something as small as you weigh so much?"_ That did it; I mentioned both her height and weight in the same sentence and not in a good way either. Irene just stared me from on top of my head with her mouth open, shocked that I actually said that. Then what I said registered, and her face flushed while transforming into a mien of pure fury.

" _How dare you say that,"_ she screamed as her tiny fists pounded my head, _"you complete and utter ass! And to think I hoped that you had developed a measure of tact and civility in the time I was gone. Obviously that was too much to hope for; you remain the same brute as before."_ By this time she had stopped trying to crush my head, and simply sat on it staring away from me with her cheeks adorably puffed.

" _Me, civil? Honestly, sometimes wonder what goes on through your head Irene; that has as much chance of happening as you developing a sense of humor."_ That set her off again; she jumped up and began to stomp on my head. It always amuses me how easy she is to rile up; it's almost like I'm dealing with a child at times. And her reactions aren't simply verbal; the aura around her begins to flash in various colors according to her mood, which are usually red and black when I annoy her.

" _I do too have a sense of humor you prick! My humor is simply of a higher standard over a brute such as you, therefore you would never understand it."_ She punctuated her statement with a hair flip, appearing the very picture of a princess. Neither of us said anything for a few more moments, before we both erupted into a fit of gut wrenching laughter.

" _I truly missed you Dio,"_ she giggled as we picked ourselves off the ground. She sat on my head as I started walking, having claimed it as her favorite perch long ago. She just doesn't want to fly everywhere, the lazy fairy. _"The last few weeks have been dreadfully dull; all the others do is complain about how Will is slowly dying out in the world. I understand that it's a serious problem, but then really need a new hobby; continuously bitching about it accomplishes nothing, and it's annoying. No one even TRIES to come up with ideas anymore; all of them have simply given up. It's beyond disgusting."_

Irene continued to rant as we headed to the Guildmaster's room, and I listened to her while occasionally interjecting what I thought about the situation. One of the reasons Irene and I get along so well are our similar personalities; neither of us are content with where we stand in the world, and both of us have a drive to improve ourselves. And both of us are disgusted by the attitudes that the fairies of this world; as a collective, they've decided that their impending demise is a forgone conclusion and are doing nothing to stop it. They've simply given up hope. That alone wouldn't be so annoying, as we both understand that now everyone will carries the will to fight for their survival. No, what's annoying is how they bemoan their fate, acting as if they deserve to continue existing without putting in any effort. It's an attitude that the both of us find unforgivable, but we both have to deal with. Irene may bitch and moan about her brethren, but she truly loves them. She's just frustrated that they won't help themselves. And I have to listen to Irene rant about her issues with her kin as I'm her only friend, as she is mine. It's one of the reasons both of us value the others existence so highly; without the other we would be alone in a sea of conformity and incompetence.

Irene continued to rant until we reached the Guildmaster's room, where I asked her to stop so I could concentrate. She pouted at not being able to rant, but thankfully stopped.

"There you are Dio," the Guildmaster said as I walked in, "I assume you're little friend has been taken care of?" I looked around the room, which focuses more on practicality than ostentatiousness; there are very few decorations, and the room is mostly filled with bookcases filled to the brim with scrolls, and drawers. A door on the far side of the room leads to what I assume to be his bedroom. The place is like a mini library, and I wonder if Weaver actually remembers what every single scroll in here is? Said person sat on a chair behind a desk filled with papers situated in the very middle of the room.

"She has," I replied, "although I would prefer if you didn't make it sound like a hit was taken out on her." I could see the faint amusement in his eyes, but I guess old farts like him have to find their laughs anyway they can. His eyes then turned serious and he gave me a piercing stare, causing my back to straighten subconsciously.

" _He's as scary as always,"_ Irene said.

" _I agree. I only hope I can command the same respect he does from others."_

" _You? I doubt it you buffoon."_ I would have responded, but Weaver interrupted us.

"Now then Dio, I want a full report on what happened during your quest. It's unusual for someone to leave on a scouting mission and return with a young girl."

I grimaced, but I informed him of everything that happened. As I told him of the state of Oakvale, the Guildmaster frowned heavily and wrote down the information on a scroll. When I reached the part where I tortured the bandit for Theresa's location, I could feel Irene's growing horror through our link. At first I assumed she was horrified about what I did, which made me feel worse about the whole situation. She apparently picked up on my thoughts, because she quickly placated me.

" _It isn't what you did that bothers me Dio_ ," she said as she pats my head, _"it's that you had to do it. That bandit was scum, and you did give him the opportunity to answer you peacefully. Don't feel bad about it; the bastard deserved it for what he did to the town. I'm just sorry that you had to be in that situation at all, it must have been difficult."_ I smiled when she told me that immensely relieved that my best friend isn't disenchanted with me. It also reminded me once again that 'justice' in this world is very different to the 'justice' that I grew up in.

" _Thank you for that,"_ I told her, " _it helps. I don't regret what I did, it was necessary at the time."_

The Guildmaster noticed our little interaction, and although I never informed him of the relationship between Irene and I, he must have figured out that we can communicate in some way. He's too smart not to have figured it out sometime in the last three years. Strangely enough he's never asked about it.

Then I told them of my trip to the hut I was told about, and what I found when I arrived. Weaver grew furious when I told him about the state I found Theresa in; his eyes looked like pieces of flint, while his hands gripped the chair he sat on so hard I could hear the wood groan under his grip. Likewise, Irene was horrified; I could feel the sheer disgust and sorrow through our link, and while I couldn't see her, I was sure she was crying. Neither interrupted me as I told them what happened, for which I was glad; this was hard enough already. I wrapped the discussion up by telling them of the options I gave Theresa, and what she decided, along with everything she told me of the attack itself, and then our arrival to the guild last night. I omitted my suspicions about Maze, as I have no proof against him, so accusing him would get nothing done except draw needless attention to me. The Guildmaster sighed heavily and sank into his chair as I finished.

"This entire situation is nothing less than a tremendous shitstorm," he said. "We have an entire village wiped out, along with someone who can apparently boss around a person as powerful as Twinblade. This presents a large problem; if bandit activity rises, more people will be in danger and more heroes will die. The worst part of such a situation is that as our numbers dwindle, theirs will bolster." He began to rub his temple, probably to stave off a headache he most likely already has. I kept quiet, since it seems that he's mostly talking out loud. As the Guildmaster continued to rant I tried to talk to Irene, who's been strangely silent for a while now.

" _What's wrong,"_ I asked her. " _The only time you're this quiet is when you're mad at me."_

" _It isn't that,"_ she replied. _"I'm just thinking about the girl. Could I meet her later on?"_

" _Sometime later, sure. I left her sleeping in my old room after I took her to the healers. She fell asleep there; probably exhausted from everything that happened."_

" _Poor girl. No one should have to go through what she did. I wouldn't be surprised if she's traumatized in some way. What can you tell me about her?"_ Before I could respond Weaver stood up, and walked over to a bookcase behind his desk.

"Where is the girl now," he asked me. I informed Weaver of everything that happened after he left, even the….confrontation between Lyn and I. He didn't look surprised at our confrontation; he merely raised an eyebrow and bade me to continue. As I talked, he selected one scroll from the bookcase and began to read it.

"I'm not surprised that you and Lyn clashed," he said after I finished talking. "Lyn has always been temperamental around men, and you have never been the sort to allow others to step over you. I'm glad that you managed to resolve that dispute without any violence Dio; Lyn is an invaluable member of the healing corps, so choosing her was not an easy choice."

I glared at him when I realized what he meant; "you set the whole thing up as a test."

"I did," he admitted. "And you performed admirably. I admit I had my doubts when pairing you two up, but it all worked out well enough in the end."

I continued to glare at him, but dropped the matter. This isn't the time for heated banter.

"Are you sure leaving young Theresa alone is wise? I was notified of her abrupt awakening this morning."

" _I'll tell you after this,"_ I told Irene as I felt her concern grow. She grumbled in displeasure, but didn't pursue the matter.

'She should be fine; she was in a deep sleep, and I plan on heading back after we finish here. I would rather she not spend any time alone until she feels safe."

"On that note, do you have any idea how long you wish to be taken off duty for?"

"Half a year should suffice, but ill notify you if that lengthens or shortens. As I mentioned before, contact me if you feel that a Quest requires my skills I'll make sure Theresa understands that I won't be around her at all times. I do have a question for you; is there a chance that Theresa could become an apprentice here?"

"No, and I'm surprised you would even ask. While I would love to train any and all children, reality is much harsher than that. Her disability will prevent her from developing any real proficiency, and she would quickly die in a battle. She simply isn't worth the resources that training her require. And the Guild is, first and foremost, nothing more than a glorified den of mercenaries. And it is my responsibility to only train recruits that would provide a profit. If I begin to take any vagabond off the streets, the Guild would collapse in less than a decade."

"I understand Guildmaster. I simply wanted to make sure. Even if she can't train here in the Guild, I can at least make sure she's able to defend herself." His face softened at that.

"Very well. Then, if that is all, I need to make sense of the shitstorm this day has become."

I nodded and left the room, and before the door closed Irene was already bombarding me with questions.

" _What happened to Theresa this morning? Is she all right? What's she like? When can I meet her? Is there anything that-"_

" _Shut up you annoying gnat, I can't hear myself think."_

" _I'm surprised you're able to notice that you think you oaf,"_ she said as she pulled my hair.I surprised a smile at her retort; can't have her thinking I like her now, can I.

" _To answer your questions, you aggravating pest, Theresa woke up screaming this morning. The girl has the lungs of a banshee; she woke up the entire barracks, and probably people in the other barracks also. I doubt she's fine; she's bound to have some form of trauma after what happened to her. At least she seems to trust me, so I can help her. And I don't know much about her; I met her yesterday, and we really haven't said much to each other. And before you ask, yes you can meet her; I'm heading to where she is right now."_

" _That's cheating,"_ she said as she pouted, " _You can't respond to something to something I haven't said yet."_

" _I do what I want."_

" _Of course you do dear,"_ she patronized as she patted my head. The rest of our walk back to the room was spent in silence, along with me blessing any deities that exist here that Irene didn't start to rant again. She seemed to be busy fretting about Theresa, even if they haven't met yet. That gave me an idea.

" _Hey Irene,"_ I said, " _Do you know of any way of using Will as a substitute for sight?"_

" _I assume you're asking me this because you want to teach this to Theresa?"_

" _That's correct."_

" _I don't personally know of a way to do that, that doesn't mean one of my siblings doesn't. I'll ask them the next time I see them. It shouldn't be impossible; I've seen magic do stranger things than allow someone to see."_

" _I appreciate that. Do you know if it would be possible to restore her sight?"_

" _No, that's beyond even us. We have no way of knowing how exactly the eye works, so we can't recreate one."_ That makes me wonder if it's possible in another universe, since the one I come from intimately knows how the eye functions. It's a thought for later.

When we finally arrived I sighed with relief that Theresa was still asleep; I was half worried that someone may have woken her up, even though I was only gone for about an hour.

" _She's so small,"_ Irene said as she approached her. _"To have gone through so much at such a young age…the poor dear. You did a great job in saving her Dio. No one should have to go through even a fraction of what she did."_

" _And yet there are people suffering every moment. I'm glad I was able to save her, even if I couldn't do anything for the people of Oakvale."_

" _Now now, I'll have none of that. You did what you could with the information you were given. It isn't your fault that by the time you received the news, the town was already attacked. The only people to blame here are the bastards who did this."_

" _I know that Irene. But it doesn't make any of this any easier, not after seeing the villager's mutilated bodies."_

" _No, I doubt any of this is easy. But it isn't like you could have known about the attack ahead of time."_

Ah, but that's the thing. I did know that Oakvale would be attacked, but it completely slipped my mind. I can't help but feel like all those deaths could have been prevented.

" _Enough moping around Dio, before I kick your ass. What do you plan on doing now?"_

" _I'll wait until she gets up, and then see if she wants to go to Emdor now or later."_

" _Emdor is the village you live in, right? What's it like?"_

" _It's a small village, and it's very quiet. The other villagers mind their own business, but they're friendly enough to know everyone's name. It helps that there are barely a hundred people in the village. There are a few children, so Theresa will have company her age if she wants it. But the best thing is that the village is only a day from the Guild if you walk, so it's a relatively safe location."_

" _Only relatively safe?"_

" _No place in Albion is completely safe, even the Guild has been attacked before."_

" _Good point. What do you plan on teaching her? And are you sure she will want to learn?"_

" _Whether she wants to learn or not is up to her, I won't force her. But I have a feeling that she'll be interested in it, if only so she never feels weak again. I'll mainly have her keep in shape, and maybe practice her Will powers if she's talented. While we do that, I'll also try to help her work through any trauma she may have from what happened. I'll wait until we restore her sight before we begin any real practice."_

" _You do know that we may never be able to do that, don't you?"_

" _No, I don't. I do know that it's possible, the only question is how we'll accomplish it."_

" _I wish I shared your confidence."_

" _What do you plan on doing now Irene? I won't be traveling anywhere for many months."_

" _I'm staying with you of course. Did you think I would leave you to care for a little girl alone? Even I'm not that that crazy."_

" _Your confidence in me is refreshing,"_ I deadpanned.

" _You'll be fine you big baby."_

It was at that moment that some wiseass decided to trip outside the room, and create a racket loud enough to wake Theresa. She shot up and frantically began to look around.

"Dio, are you there," she asked. The fear in her voice could easily be heard, and I decided to restore her sight as soon as possible.

"I'm right here," I told her. Irene then began to jump up and down on my head.

" _Tell her about me!"_

" _I will, calm your tits woman."_

" _You pervert,"_ she said as she blushed and clutched her arms to her breasts.

"Theresa, I brought a friend with e who would like to meet you."

"You, you did? Who is it?"

"She isn't a person actually; she's a fairy. Her name is Irene, and she's my closest friend. Hold out your hand so she can land on it." Theresa did just that, and I watched as a smile crawled on her face when Irene landed on her hand.

"Hello there, my name is Theresa." Irene looked unsure on what to do next, and I couldn't resist a chance to mess with her.

"Actually Theresa," I said, "Irene isn't intelligent enough to speak." I received a glare and a full body slam to the nose for my comment. Completely worth it.

"That doesn't match the stories I've heard about fairies," Theresa said with a frown.

"And what have you heard about fairies?"

"That they're supposed to be beautiful, powerful, and graceful creatures, and that they're as smart as a person is." I could feel the sheer smugness that Irene radiated through our link, and she sent me a superior smirk.

" _At least the girl can recognize brilliance,"_ she said, _"even without her eyesight."_

" _Oh shut it,"_ I said with an eye roll. _"She wouldn't be saying that if she could her you talk."_

"Please don't inflate Irene's head any further Theresa," I said, "she's hard enough to deal with already." The poor girl just looked confused, which gave me an idea.

" _Do you think you think you could form a bond with her like you did with me_ ," I asked Irene.

 _I'm not sure. It's possible, but only if she has mana to support the connection. Do you know if she has Hero blood?"_

" _Yes, she does. She comes from a powerful bloodline."_

" _And how exactly do you know that Dio?"_

" _I have my sources."_

" _Another one of your secrets Dio?"_

" _I'll tell you eventually, I promise, but I can't yet."_

" _Whatever. Ask the girl if she would like me to form a bond with her."_

"Theresa, I have a very important question for you; Irene here is able to form a bond with certain people, like me for example, and that allows her to communicate with them in their mind. She wants to know if you'll allow her to form a bond with you."

"…will it hurt?"

"It shouldn't, but it will feel strange. It won't take long either, and you'll have another friend to talk to."

"Can I trust her?" Well, at least the girl is smart enough to question things.

"Definitely. I trust Irene with my life, and you can too. She may be annoying, but she's the nicest person I've ever met."

" _You aren't getting soft on me,_ Irene asked as she returned to Theresa's hand, " _Are you Dio?"_

" _Done worry Irene; I'm never soft around you,"_ I said with a wink. I would have taken her glare more seriously if her face wasn't doing a tomato impersonation. Theresa seemed to think on the offer, before looking at Irene and nodding.

"All right," she said, "if Dio trusts you, then so do I. Do it."

I watched, fascinated, as Irene formed a bond with Theresa; first, Irene's silver aura grew until it reached twice her size. Then a purple aura surrounded Theresa. Both auras then began it mix with each other, until they both carried each other's color, and then the auras died out. Nothing happened for a few seconds, until Theresa began to look around wildly.

"Who said that," she said. She looked around for a few more seconds, before looking at Irene.

"Was that you?" Irene must have responded, because Theresa began to chatter animatedly. I tuned out what she said, and thought about what just happened; apparently, a mental link can be formed with anyone who has Will powers. But I can't hear what Theresa and Irene say to each other, so does that mean that communication is limited only to the person you form a connection with? Is it possible to form a connection with more than one person? I would have continued on that tangent, but I noticed that Theresa was no longer talking. However, before I could ask her what happened Irene once again formed a connection with me.

" _That girl sure can talk,"_ she said. _"It would be cute, if I didn't get a headache from all her questions."_

" _On that note, would it be possible for me to form a bond with her, or anyone else for that matter?"_

" _Definitely, but I would advise you not to form a bond with the girl just yet. She's still young, so her mana reserves are probably quite small, and maintaining a bond does drain them. You should wait until her reserves grow larger before forming a bond with her."_

" _And how exactly would I do that?"_

" _It's simple really; there needs to be physical contact between you two, and then you pour your Will energy into her. You then draw here energy inside you, and the separate energies will mix. This allows the mental communication. It's also why you can't hear what I say to her, and why she can't hear what I say to you; there is no connection between you."_

" _In that case, would we be able to form a three way connection between us?"_

" _Theoretically, yes. But that's something to try out in the future. It would also be great training for her, since the drain will allow her mana reserves to grow."_

" _I noticed that each of you had a colored aura. Why is that? And do you remember what color mine is?"_

" _I'm not sure why exactly each person has a colored aura, but they do. Although not everyone is able to actually form their auras. Most people never think to actualize their mana externally. And your aura was silver like mine,"_ she said with a haughty smirk. " _The greatest color in the world."_ Theresa took that moment to interject in our conversation.

"Umm, are you two talking to each other right now?" I looked over to her and noticed that she was pouting, probably upset at being ignored.

"Ah," I said, "We are, I'm sorry about that. We didn't mean to ignore you. Irene was telling me that you and I will be able to form a similar bond between us, but we have to wait until your mana reserves grow larger."

She seemed ecstatic at the prospect of forming a bond with me. Although her face took on a mien of confusion a second later.

"What are mana reserves," she asked.

"It's what Irene and I call the energy used to fuel Will powers, and what you used to maintain the mental connection between you and Irene. It's essentially a second energy source, but instead of using it to walk or run around, you use it for Will powers."

"Ah, that makes sense. But I don't feel any different after talking with Irene."

"That's because you only used a little energy to talk to her for a short amount of time. And, Irene was fairly close to you when you talked. It's similar to walking; you need more energy to walk from one side of the room to another, than you need to take a single step forward. Understand?"

"I think so; the further away Irene is, the more energy I need to use to form a connection, right?"

"Exactly. Irene will teach you how to form the connection yourself, so you won't always need to rely on her to start a conversation." Theresa smiled happily at that, and the situation would have been one of innocence and happiness if it wasn't for the next words Irene said.

" _You know Dio, it just dawned on me that we gained a mook for us to tortu- I mean train, for the next couple of years."_

If Theresa had been able to see at that moment, she would have shat herself in fright at the maniacal grins that Irene and I sported.

The next seven months passed in a blurry of activity. Theresa was well received in Emdor, and the villagers kept true to their characters and didn't pester her or ask her personal questions. They did express an Interest in Irene, but after I told them she couldn't speak they basically ignored her. While Theresa did get along with most of the villagers, she never showed an interest in interacting with them. She would hold a conversation if prompted, but she never sought others out of her own free will, unless she needed something from them. She stayed at my house for the most part, content in being with Irene and I. Irene and I got close to Theresa, and ended up viewing her as a little sister. She spent as much time as she could with us, and followed any orders we gave her. She's very well behaved, and we never got into any serious arguments. Theresa told us that she was ten years old, or as she called it, 'ten winters old.' Of course, not everything was sunshine and rainbows. By the first week, her trauma reared its head.

At first, she decided that she wanted to sleep in her own room, something she said she didn't have in her old home. I was more than glad to accommodate her, since I had three unused rooms simply gathering dust. The house itself was a two story house with one the kitchen and living room on the ground floor, and all four rooms on the second floor. Each room was square shaped, ten feet in all directions. Irene slept in the room with her to provide a pseudo sense of sight, and also to provide comfort. The first night was uneventful, and I admit that lulled me into complacency. The next morning Theresa was sluggish, and she admitted that she wasn't able to sleep much the previous night. I passed that off as nerves, from being in a new and unknown environment. Then on the second night she had another nightmare. Her screams woke half of the village up, who rushed to the house to see what happened. Thankfully I was not accused of anything, since Theresa was sobbing in my arms by the time the first villagers arrived in my house. I shudder to think on what would have happened if she HAD been scared of me. Well, at least no one had pitchforks. The villagers understood her situation, although I had to be very subtle about how I phrased it since Theresa was still in the room. Theresa had nightmares almost every night after that, although she insisted on sleeping in her own room. Irene and I grew worried, but decided to leave her be and see if time helped her.

It was at the end of the second week that Theresa could endure no longer. It was the middle of the night and I was asleep, when a knock on my door woke me up. Theresa walked in, with Irene flying close behind her. She stood at the doorway, seemingly conflicted, but Irene gave her a subtle push, prompting her to do whatever she was here for.

"Dio," she asked me, "do…do you think I could sleep with you here tonight?"

"I didn't respond immediately, but raised an eyebrow- not that she could see that- and looked at Irene expectantly.

" _She's debated this all night,"_ Irene told me. " _She told me she used to sleep with her brother, so sleeping alone is frightening for her. And as much as it kills me to say this, I'm too small; she'd crush me."_ My eyes widened at that; Irene finally admitted her size! I'm definitely not going to allow her to forget this moment. Irene glared at me as if she knew what I was thinking.

"That shouldn't be a problem," I told Theresa. "But my bed is too small for two people, even if one of them is as tiny as you. Stay here for a moment while I rearrange the room." Instead of arguing that she isn't small Theresa simply nodded gratefully and took a seat on one of the seats in my room. Fortunately my room doesn't have much furniture; other than the bed there's a nightstand and a wardrobe. I moved the nightstand next to the wardrobe, and then went to Theresa's room- which is next to mine- and brought her bed to my room. I moved both beds adjacent to each other, and brought Irene's dog sized bed and put it atop the nightstand. Theresa joined me in the bed, and the three of us drifted off to sleep. That night everyone was able to get a full nights rest, as Theresa wasn't plagued by nightmares.

The pattern continued for the next few days; Theresa would wake me up in the middle of the night and ask to sleep with me. After the fourth night of that happening I snapped and told Theresa that if she was going to do this every night she might as well sleep with me from the beginning. She looked relieved when I said it and proceeded to do just that. I felt like slapping myself for not approaching the subject sooner; she probably felt uncomfortable asking me. After that she would either go to sleep alongside me, or silently sneak into my room, careful not to wake me as she lay beside me. That same night I stayed awake to watch what Theresa acted like; she would toss and turn frequently, and it took her an hour to fall asleep. Her hand would frequently dart towards mine, as if she wanted the assurance that yes, I am right next to her, and no, I wouldn't leave her. Her hand would hover, a simple hairsbreadth away, almost but never actually touching.

But she was always too scared to.

Her hand would just wait there in the air, too scared to get closer but unwilling to pull away.

For all of her supposed trust in me, Theresa deep down was afraid that I would leave her, or even worse, that I would also hurt her. She followed me because I was the choice that presented the least amount of possible danger to her, not because she blindly trusted me. She behaves and aims to please so I have a use for her, so I won't abandon or abuse her. She hides it well, but the signs are there for anyone with the eye to see them. Why exactly she's comfortable enough to lie down beside me and go to sleep but not hold my hand is a mystery. I assume that she doesn't know the limits of our relationships, that she isn't sure what she is and isn't allowed to do. The only thing that can be done is wait and see if time fixes her insecurities. At least I have Irene to help me. Theresa never once mentioned her family, or the prophetic dreams she had in the games. Although she might think that's exactly what they are; mere dreams. Hopefully she'll mention it in time.

Irene taught me a way to observe another person's mana reserves; you pour a determined amount of mana into them, and the other persons mana will push against yours in resistance. The amount of resistance is proportionate to the mana you pour; if you pour less mana than the other person has, their mana pushes yours put. If you pour more mana than they have, yours begins to push theirs back. And at an equal level they stabilize. After three months Irene and I decided that Theresa had enough mana to support a link with me also. In those three months Irene kept a connection with Theresa as often as she could, while at the same time Theresa practiced simple elemental manipulation to drain her reserves. Theresa was ecstatic when we told her, which I admit confused me a bit; I'm never sure if Theresa is comfortable with me or not. She seems perfectly fine with Irene, but that may be because Irene is a fairy, a species that rarely interacts with humans and are known for their kindness.

I had my apprehension about forming a bond with Theresa, since her emotions would basically be on full display since she lacked any experience in masking her emotions because of her age. So it was with that reservation that I formed a bond with Theresa, although I noticed that she also looked nervous, while at the same time relieved. The bond formed in the same way Theresa's and Irene's did; we mixed our Will energies together until they stabilized. Now that I knew what I was looking for, I could see our separate auras; mine took a sliver of purple that dispersed through the silver, while the silver already present in Theresa's purple aura grew in quantity. When the bond formed, I was taken aback at how strong her emotions were; there was happiness present, along with nervousness and relief. But each emotion seemed magnified, at least compared to my own; each emotion seemed to fill her entire being and define every action. There was never a single moment where some emotion was present in her, which definitely threw me for a loop; compared to her, I felt empty, hollow. The emotions I felt lacked the raw intensity present in Theresa, and I felt calm more often than Theresa ever did. I couldn't tell if it was because I was emotionally damaged, or if it was simply the difference between a child and an adult. I couldn't use Irene as a reference either, as she admitted that she experienced the same thing. At least Theresa never noticed the difference between us, or if she did, she never mentioned it.

Two weeks later we determined that Theresa would be able to sustain a three way connection, although Irene and I would first have to figure out how exactly to form said connection. We deliberated for an entire day, before deciding on simply mixing our separate auras and allowing them to stabilize. The experiment went off without a hitch; neither of our auras changed, but the three of us could hold conversation within our minds. We quickly fell into the habit of constantly maintaining a link, and after two simple weeks neither Theresa nor I would speak aloud for days at a time. More than once one of us would respond to another villager in our mind in a conversation, only to realize our mistake and mentally shift to verbally speaking. Even now neither of us are able to flawlessly shift between modes; switching requires a conscience effort.

Of course, Irene and I also made sure that Theresa kept in shape the entire time. We first had Theresa run the length of the village several times, with one of us always accompanying her to make sure she didn't hit anyone or anything. After two months she was able to run five laps without being winded, so we applied small weights to her limbs. She complained about the weights, so I used my superior grown up knowledge to detail exactly how the weights helped her. When she still looked dissatisfied, I threatened to reduce the amount of meat I allowed her to eat. She never once complained again.

I wanted to wait until we restored Theresa's eyesight before training her on how to fight, so I had her assist me on my farm to build her muscles. Said farm is a small thing; a rectangle fifteen feet wide and ten feet across. I planted carrots and potatoes there, along with corn and a gourd type fruit that tastes like watermelon. Pouring mana into the crops allows them to grow healthy and quickly, while maintaining a fresh taste. Irene would occasionally help in the 'farming,' but she quickly decided that farming is something she doesn't like. According to her it's messy, sweaty, and she had no luck in it; I will forever remember the time she struggled to pull a carrot from the ground, only for it to suddenly pop out, the momentum causing her to fall into a nearby bucket of water.

A month ago we managed to discover a way to us Theresa's will powers to allow her to see. Neither Irene nor I had any luck in discovering a way, and no one we asked had a clue either. I suggested to Irene that we try doing the same process that we used to form our bond, while also mimicking echolocation; actualize our mana externally, and bond it to our surrounding. The mana would take the shape of whatever object it comes into contact with, granting an image. Irene and I practiced doing that for a week before we managed to 'perfect' the process. The entire procedure was slow and inaccurate because the mana would fight against being bound around any single object, never mind an entire room.

It was also the only idea that provided any results.

Irene and I practiced this method for an entire month, smoothing out its flaws and seeing how it improved. We experienced a gradual increase in how long it took us to materialize our mana, and it took far less time to encompass an entire room. Our mana also resisted our will less the more we used it in this process. By the end of the month the process only took us ten seconds, instead of an entire minute. The 'picture' that the process provided was also far clearer; while it could not yet provide any fine details, I could now 'see' the exact dimensions of an object. The process itself isn't very mana intensive, requiring a small amount to coat an entire room. It did however constantly drain mana the entire time the process was active. While the procedure is drastically inferior for actual sight, it has the potential to be far more effective than sight; it grants three hundred sixty degree vision, with its only limitation being how much information you can process at once and how long you can maintain the ability active.

Once Irene and I were satisfied with the results, we told Theresa. To say she was exited was an understatement; the grin she sported threatened to split her face and the sheer delight and relief that we all felt from her through our bond was almost crippling. Theresa took to the technique with a single minded determination that I didn't expect from her; she would exhaust every iota of mana by noon daily simply to be able to see. I worried that she would harm herself using such a large amount of mana in such little time, but I didn't begrudge Theresa her happiness; I'm sure that if I were ever to go blind, I would be ecstatic to discover a method that allowed me to see. After simply two weeks Theresa was able to match our progress with the ability, and by now I'm sure she's surpassed us. I assume that her magic is compensating for her lack of sight and boosting her ability.

As I summarized all of this to Rover as he sat next to me, he merely laughed and reached into a portal he created.

"You never cease to amaze me Dio," he said. "I admit that I've never seen anyone create that particular ability for sight before. Like you said, it has much potential, especially in a battle. I'm very curious as to how you'll develop it."

Hearing praise of your abilities from a god level being is always nice, and I allowed myself to bask in the praise.

"However," Rover continued, "you seem to have fallen into the same fallacy that seems to perpetually plague your short sighted species."

I frowned. "And what fallacy is that?"

"Come now Dio," he said with a damnable smirk, "if I told you that where would character development be? The plot? I will however, give you a nudge; magic is, at its core, a facet of chaos."

"Why does this sound like you're making my life into a story?" He smirked.

"Because I am," he said, and then proceeded to withdraw a leather bound book from the portal. Said book sported the title 'Chronology of Dio Trajan.' "Since I somewhat fulfill the role of your patron, it becomes my responsibility to record your story."

"Do you have nothing better to do on your free time than stalk me?"

"Of course I do," he said indignantly. "For example; I need to make sure the chaotic energies of the universe are stable. I also need to make sure that I don't accidentally fart and destroy a galaxy."

"Wow," I deadpanned, "such difficult tasks. Is the story accurate, or did you embellish all of it." Strangely enough, Rover managed to look embarrassed, even if his features are just barely human. Is the fact that I can understand the facial expressions of a being with Quasars for eyes, no nose, and as mouth that looks more like a black hole a sign that I'm going insane?

"Well…the story is true…for the most part. But honestly Dio, all the best stories are embellished a little, otherwise how else will a reader's attentions be captured?"

"You're an ass Rover. Would it kill you to keep the story straight?"

"It probably would. Of course, you're free to find a way to make me."

Is he being serious? Me, a squishy human, force him, a god of chaos, to do something?

"I have just the thing," I told him. "I'll tell Theresa that you can restore her eyesight, and return her family to her."

"Are you…threatening me with the possible destruction of a psychologically damaged little girl's hopes and dreams?"

"Why yes, I believe I am."

"You…are pure evil."

"I resent that," I replied. "I am an upstanding citizen. You are an infuriating prick."

"All right all right, how about this; we play a game or rock, paper, scissors, and if you win ill change the story. If I win, it stays the same. Deal?'

"Are you a child?"

"Is that a no?"

"Ugh, fine. Ready?" He nodded, and although I felt silly, we played the game. However, instead of picking one of the three, when I said 'Go' Rover teleported away.

"Did he really just do that," I wondered aloud. "Prick." I then noticed a letter on the table that wasn't there earlier today. I picked it up and read it;

'Had something urgent to take care of. You mentioned a while ago that you were interested in helping me out. If you're still interested, I could take you to a different universe, since I think you're powerful enough to handle it. I'll return in a few days, let me know your answer then.'

" _A new universe."_ I thought. " _That sounds very interesting. But will I be stuck in that universe, or will I be able to come back here? And will I be able to take Theresa with me? I'm not interested in leaving without her. I guess I need to wait until he gets back to ask him."_

I took this chance to tell Irene everything, since I needed a second person's opinion. She was not happy that I waited until now to tell her, but she at least did provide a second opinion. As she said; 'there's nothing in this world other than stagnation. Will powers are dying out. If we're lucky this new world won't have the same problem.' It was a good argument, and I found myself agreeing with it. Besides, I have to admit that the prospect of a second universe excited me, and I could tell that Irene felt the same. We both agreed however, that this would only happen if the three of us could go. We also decided not to tell Theresa until we knew if we could stay together. I found myself not being able to focus on anything for the next few days, fully obsessed about the new universe Rover mentioned.

He showed up three days after he left, and assured me that the three of us would be able to stay together.

"The three of you are closely linked," he told me as we sat down at the kitchen. "The bond you formed fused a piece of you inside them, and in doing so also fused a fragment of chaos in each of them. It will allow me to ferry them to the new universe." I will forever deny squealing like a schoolgirl when he told me that, and any evidence Rover took is completely fabricated.

"How exactly will you take us there." I asked him. "And where exactly is 'there.'"

"That Dio, depends on you." He pulled out a deck of cards and spread them out in front of me.

"Just like last time," he said, "you'll pick one of these cards, and whichever universe it is will be the one you go to."

"All right, but I want to know which universe I'll be going to. You not only bailed on our game three days ago, but you forced me to suffer the agony of waiting for three entire days. You owe me." He chuckled.

"All right Dio, I guess I can humor you. And I'll even sweeten the deal; ill allow you to have one power of your choice native to whichever universe you end up picking."

Now that sounds like a good plan. I closed my eyes and picked out one card, and flipped it over. I opened my eyes and noticed that it had writing on it, while all the other cards had disappeared.

"The wonderful wizarding world of Harry Potter huh," Rover said. "That's a useful choice, and there are quite a lot of things you can mess up there. All right then, as promised, pick out a power native to that world and I'll grant it to you."

I sat down to think on that, and discovered that I knew next to nothing on powers in the wizarding world.

"Will I be able to perform the magic of that world," I asked Rover.

"Yes, I'll be providing you and Theresa a way to do that, so pick something else." That's a tough choice then, as I know next to nothing on special powers of that world. I know of only one actually, but it does have its uses since it's a magical language.

"The ability to speak parseltongue," I told Rover.

"The ability to speak to serpents? Not a bad choice. I'll implant the ability when I implant the magical core in you."

"Excuse me," I said. That does not sound like a pleasant process.

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" By now Rover sported a grin that sent shivers down my spine. "Because the magical abilities of that world are different than this one's, I need to implant a magical core in both you and Theresa to allow you to replicate the abilities. You'll basically be forced to square one, since the abilities of both worlds are drastically different."

"I've said this before, and I'll say it again; you're a prick Dio. I want a do over."

"Sorry bud, no do overs or refunds." He then opened another portal and took out a glowing…thing. It looked like a ball made from energy, as its shape never stayed constant.

"This is a magical core," Rover told me. "Now I need you to lie down on the floor, and I'll shove this inside you. I'll do the same to Theresa later." I did as he said and he crouched down next to me.

"You said it like that on purpose you-"the rest of my rebuttal was cut short as Rover shoved his hand through my chest. His arm went inside me up to his elbow, and I could feel his arm rummage around me. It's definitely a new experience for me. I found that I couldn't move, so I had to just lay there until Rover finished. He rummaged around inside me for around a minute, mumbling nonsense the entire time, and then took his arm out.

Then the pain hit.

It felt like boiling magma sprung from my chest and then fused into my veins and spread throughout my body. I could feel my body physically change, and I could vaguely see my aura begin to fluctuate through the haze of pain. I discovered that I still couldn't move when I tried to give voice to the screams that threatened to spill from my throat. I tried to use my Ice manipulation to lessen the pain, but all that seemed to do is amplify it. I could vaguely hear Rover say something, but I couldn't focus enough to understand his words. The heat seemed to heat every inch of me, and when it reached my toes it began to recede. When the heat reached my chest it left, and I could finally move again. I ran outside and threw up the contents of my stomach.

"Well that was unexpected," said Rover as he walked outside. "I had no idea there would be such a…violent reaction to the infusion. It's a good thing I paralyzed you, or else your screams would have attracted the entire village."

"Why the hell did that happen," I asked him.

"I'm not completely sure. It may be because of the difference between the magic of the wizarding world and this world. The pain seemed to get worse when you used your Will powers, so I'm assuming that the entire ordeal was your body assimilating the different powers. I need to record this." And then he pulled out a pen and notebook, and began to write in it. It took every ounce of my willpower not to attack him for his nonchalance.

"Well I'm so glad you're at least learning something Rover. However, next time you're going to do something to me without knowing of the results, I'd like a warning."

"That's reasonable. Do you feel any different?" I took a moment and looked myself over, but noticed nothing.

"Not at all. Are you sure it worked? Maybe my body rejected it?"

"Maybe, let me check. Don't move, or this may hurt." Before I could ask him what exactly would hurt. He thrust his hand inside my chest. I could feel him root around, and then he seemed to grip…something…in my chest. Said object began to release waves of energy inside me, which is a strange feeling.

"Yes, the magical core successfully fused into you." Rover then took his hand out of my chest and began to write in the notebook again. "You may not notice a change now, but you will in time. Magic and Will powers are similar, but there are subtle differences. And you now have both, since the core will work alongside the energy your body produced to fuel your Will powers."

"So instead of having two different energy sources, they fused into one? Will my powers work like normal?"

"Yes, the energies fused. Your current powers should work like normal, but the best way to determine that is through practice."

"Great. And stop doing the chest thing; it's creepy, and feels weird."

"I make no promises Dio. Now, as I promised, your magical core made you a parseltongue. I'll leave a snake in the wizarding world for you to practice your new ability, and will return tomorrow to take you to the wizarding world. The fusion of also seems to have changed you physically, I have no idea why, so you should have that examine that. I need to prepare a few things for your arrival. Oh, and ill also implant Theresa's magical core tomorrow; I'll put her to sleep while her body assimilates it so she doesn't feel the pain. She needs to be asleep while I take her through the dimensional gap anyways, just like I did to you."

"The dimensional gap," I asked him. Sounds like an interesting place.

"I'll tell you more about it tomorrow."

"One last question; will we be able to return here, or will we be stuck in the wizarding world?"

"That is up to you Dio. There will be ways in the wizarding world that will allow you to travel through dimensions, but it will be up to you to discover them." And with that he left, leaving me to prepare for tomorrow. I could feel the excitement fill me at the thought of a new universe, until my blood ran cold at a single thought; I have to explain everything to Theresa by tomorrow, and its already noon. Lovely.

Theresa definitely did not appreciate that I kept such a secret from her, and I could also tell she was apprehensive about a new universe. I tried to reassure her that nothing bad would happen, but it didn't seem to do much. Irene then gave her a brief explanation about dimensional journey, and told her about some of her journeys between Albion and Avalon. That seemed to reassure Theresa, and she agreed to come with us. I did tell her that she would be asleep during the transfer, so her body had time to assimilate her new power. I believe it was the knowledge of a new power that convinced Theresa to come along with us as much as the fear of being alone did. I made a mental note to keep an eye on her in the future, in case she begins to focus just a little too much on power.

Irene did mention my physical changes, but refused to tell me what I looked like, telling me to see it myself. I picked up a large bowl and conjured some water inside of it, and almost dropped it in shock from what I saw. I could still be recognized as the same person, but my features are now, for lack of a better word, _beautiful._ Not handsome like a model, but gracefully beautiful, to a degree where I could barely call myself human. My hair seems to move on its own, as if it consisted of water instead of being solid. My eyes looked the same, and my own reflection seems to stare _through_ me instead of at me. My ears had changed to have pointed tips, leading me to the conclusion that I look more like an elf than a person.

" _Or like a fairy,"_ I thought as I looked over to Irene.

" _Do you think this happened because of our link,"_ I asked her.

" _I'm not sure,"_ she replied. " _Some of my siblings have formed similar bonds with people in the past, and this has never happened to someone before. This happened because of you, not me."_

Oh how lovely; nothing can ever go normal. _"Yeah right,"_ I thought as I felt a grin form, " _a normal life would be unbearable after everything that happened. And at least this was a change for the better, I could have been ugly."_

After that, we gathered food and water along with a change of clothes and stored them all in packs for the journey. None of us had any personal items we needed to carry with us, aside from the bad with the special dimension inside that Rover gave me. Both Theresa and Irene were shocked when I told them about it, since the very idea of a personal dimension never crossed either of their minds. The three of us agreed on researching ways on how to replicate the pack in the future. All three of us were too excited to sleep that night, so I gave them a watered down version of everything I knew about the wizarding world, and said that Rover told me when they asked how I knew that. While neither of the two trusted Rover- he is, after all, a god of chaos- the fact that I trusted him was good enough for them.

Rover arrived at dawn, and he immediately put Theresa to sleep.

"I would rather she doesn't use her magic to 'see' me," he said at my questioning look. "I'm not sure how her mind would react to the contact with mine. People tend to go insane when they come into contact with chaos."

"Oh? I seem to be fine, and I've known you for almost four years." He chuckled darkly at that.

"Of course you are Dio.

After all, you were already insane when we met."

Unsure on how to take that, I looked over at Irene. She was preoccupied at staring at Rover, which is understandable; Rover is easily the strangest thing one can encounter. Whether it's the Voice of Legion thing he does, or his literal out of this world facial features, all present s strange combination. Rover noticed her staring, but decided to ignore it and focused on me.

"Now," he said, "grab the girl, and don't let her go. I'll create a barrier over the three of you. Keep her close to you, because the energies of the dimensional gap will kill her if she wonders outside of the barrier. Fairy, you should also stay close to him, just in case."

That seemed to draw Irene out of her funk, and she glared at Rover.

" _My name is Irene,_ " she told me, _"NOT fairy. Tell him, and that ill kick his ass if he says it again."_

I did tell him, and he laughed.

"You're a feisty one," he told Irene. "That's good; you'll need it to keep Dio safe. He has some of the worst luck I've seen." Irene merely nodded at that.

" _Of course,"_ she told me. _"Where would you be without me?"_

" _Free of a headache,"_ was my reply. She glared at me, but mercifully refrained from attacking. The last thing I need is for Rover of all people to see a foot tall fairy kicking my ass. I hoisted Theresa on my shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and Irene took her perch on my head. Prepared, we looked over at Rover and nodded.

"Very well," he said. "I'll cast the barrier over you, don't move."

I expected him to chant, or to use a device of some sort. What I did not expect was for him to merely wave his hand and form a blue barrier around us, and then wave his hand again causing energy link to bind the barrier to his hand. That is definitely not fair. Where can I file a formal complaint about the disparity between gods and humans?

"I'll ferry you three to the wizarding world. And remember; stay inside the barrier. Even I can't save you if you don't." This time he pulled out a sword from his portal, and slashed the air in front of him. The air seemed to ripple, before a tear appeared. Said tear looked like a kaleidoscope of colors, and looking at it gave me a headache.

"Well then," rover said, "let's go." And with that, we all entered the tear into the Dimensional gap.

"The dimensional gap," Rover told us as we somehow floated through it, "is the space between all dimensions. It represents the concept of nothing, as that is the only force that can separate dimension. Only a few beings have been granted the ability to enter this space without being destgroyed, I being one of them."

I looked around, and could see what he meant; literally nothing existed in this dimension. No sounds, no objects. It's a void that seems to go on endlessly, yet at the same time its limits can be seen in its kaleidoscope colors.

"Does anything live here," I asked.

"There are two beings that call the dimensional gap their home, and under no circumstance should you ever interact with either one."

"Are they dangerous?"

"Yes, unbelievably so. But at the same time, they aren't. These beings are the two undeniably strongest existences, far stronger than any god or dragon."

"That….is a frightening thought. How powerful are they?"

"One of the two is Ophis, the Ouroboros Dragon. Do you know the legends of the Ouroboros?"

"Somewhat; it represents infinity, and has no discernable shape, correct?"

"Exactly. Ophis was the very first being created, or is at least the oldest one alive. Ophis has no original shape or gender, but is a shapeshifter. The Ouroboros represents infinity, and that is exactly how powerful she is; infinite. I don't need to tell you how frightening a concept that is, do I?"

No, not at all. An infinite amount of power would allow someone to do anything, since they would never run out. It's a concept I could barely wrap my head around; Infinity is a state of being beyond even a god.

"However," Rover continued, "Ophis never had any interest outside of staying in the dimensional gap. See, Ophis was born within the dimensional gap, it's accustomed to living in the concept of 'nothing,' and the outside worlds would have been uncomfortable to it. It would have been content to spend eternity here, never interfering with the outside world."

"What happened?"

"The second being came along, and essentially kicked Ophis out. Like Ophis, this being represents a concept; the concept of dreams. Said being has never spoken been recorded speaking to someone else, so a name was given to it; Great red. Picture an enormous red dragon; Great red is much larger than that."

"And how exactly did this dragon defeat a being with infinite energy?"

"Defeat isn't the right word for it; Ophis simply couldn't defeat Great red. I theorize that it matched Ophis' strength by 'dreaming' itself stronger. Don't ask me how; I have no idea, and this is all far above my paygrade. Ophis couldn't stand sharing the dimensional gap, so it left to gather forces to defeat Great red. Just remember this; don't bother either being, and you won't end up less than a smear on the ground." I nodded; you would have to be stupid to mess with either of those two.

The rest of our travel through the dimensional gap passed in silence, as Irene seemed to be far too busy trying to figure out how she never came across this place in her travels through Albion and Avalon. Of course, my abysmal luck had to act up here. The first sign that something was wrong was Rover; he stopped moving, and began to look around as if searching for something.

"Dio," I heard him say, and his voice was now fearful and strained, "I fucking hate your luck."

Before I could ask him what he meant, a tear in space appeared not far from us. A tiny girl emerged from it, and I couldn't help myself but stare at her; the girl can't be any larger than four feet tall, and is probably around Theresa's age. She wore white shorts, and a black dress closed by a purple bow and that covered her torso but opened at the bottom. A lac headdress that wouldn't look out of place on a maid adorned her head. Her black hair almost reached the floor, and seemed to almost shine, even though no light existed here to produce that effect. As I stared at her she looked towards us and floated over to us, and I could see Rover stiffen.

"Hello there Ophis," he said, and the fear in his voice began to worry me. "Is there some way we could help you?" Said girl ignored him and stopped in front of me, and then my mind caught up to what Rover said.

"This girl is Ophis," I asked him. "You look…unimpressive really," I told her. The girl cocked her head to the side, but didn't respond. I could see Rover turn around from behind the girl and begin to gesture for me to shut up. I ignored him.

""You know," I told her, "it's considered rude to stare." By this point rover looked ready to run away and leave us here. The girl, Ophis, continued to stare at me before finally speaking.

"You, are strange," she said. I flinched at her voice; it carried no emotion. It felt like a robot said the words to me, and her facial expressions, or more specifically the lack thereof, only amplified this.

"I don't want to hear that from you; I've never heard of a dragon that looks like a prepubescent girl." I have no idea why I'm saying this; by all logic I should shut up and limit my words to 'yes' and 'no.' Rover seems to agree, if the look of fear on his face is any indication. Once more, somewhere in the back of my mind I wonder how I can discern all of these different facial expressions on Rover when he lacks any 'human' parts of a face.

If my words annoyed Ophis, she definitely failed to show it; I could detect no change in her facial expression, she simply continued to stare impassively at me. It almost made her look like a bisque doll; some part about her screamed of an inherent frailty, as if simply touching her would break her.

"I, have no shape," she said. "You, look strange. You feel human, but also don't. What are you?"

"I consider myself human," I replied. "Until yesterday I even looked like one. Rover fused a magical core inside me, which caused my features to change into what they are now."

She continued to stare at me, so I did the same to see how she liked it. I admit that it's probably not my greatest idea, but I'm pretty sure my brain isn't in control of my actions at the moment. Some part of me screamed to meet whatever expectation of me this girl seems to have, and I did my damnest to force that feeling down.

I looked inside her eyes, and suddenly understood why I'm drawn to her; nothing can be found in her eyes. And by that I don't mean hey eyes are guarded or blank; there simply isn't anything in them. They look like two pieces of glass embedded in her head. Unlike people who have been harmed and form a barrier around their emotions, Ophis seems to never have had those emotions in the first place. I now understood what Rover meant when he said was born in the dimensional gap; she was born from 'nothing,' and at the same time represents nothing like she represents infinity. It's…sad really; can you really call her existence living, if she doesn't have the capacity to enjoy a single facet of life? Her very existence is empty of everything; no emotions, no drive, no meaning to exist.

"It's rude to stare," she said, drawing me out from my thoughts. I wonder how long we stared at each other; I could see Rover looking at us quizzically from my peripheral vision, and I could also feel Irene squirm on my head. She appeared to be trying to tell me something, but something blocked the connection from forming.

"Yes, yes it is. I apologize for staring; I was trying to understand you." She cocked her head to the side, and the intensity with which she stared at me seemed to increase.

"And?"

"You came to me first, so you should first tell me what you want." I could see Rover face palm in the background, making me smirk internally; finally, payback for all he's done to me.

"I, felt someone enter my home. That is rare, but I recognized the fragment of chaos over there." I assume that her home is the dimensional gap, and the fragment of chaos is Rover. "However, I felt a pull to a strange being the fragment of chaos carried. I came here, and saw you. You, are strange; you don't fit any single race of being."

"Is that a bad thing? I believe that simply makes me interesting."

"Yes, it does." She seemed to think about something, before raising her hand, where a tiny snake crawled out of her sleeve and wrapped around her finger.

"You, are weak," she said. I could feel my eye twitch at the audacity she has in saying that to me; compared to her, any being would be weak. "But," she continued, "You have potential. This, snake is a fragment of my power. Take it, and use it when you become stronger." She raised her arm towards me, and I did the same. The tiny black snake curled around my finger, and I could feel a pull on my mana, similar to what I felt when I formed a bond with Irene and Theresa. I allowed it to happen, but unlike the bond I share with Theresa and Irene I could feel nothing from the tiny snake.

{What an interesting child," I heard the snake say.

{I resent that; I'm not a child," I replied. Instead of words, I was shocked to find that a sibilant hiss escaped my mouth. I could somehow understand what I said, but my ears clearly heard hissing coming from my mouth, and from the snake. My tongue seemed to move on its own to produce the sound, overall creating a strange experience. " _So this is what parseltongue is like,"_ I mused. _"That will definitely take getting used to."_

Ophis' eyes widened a small fraction, an action that would be barely noticeable on anyone else, but on her it's the equivalent of an enormous neon sign saying 'I'm surprised!'

"I, have never met anyone who could speak to snakes. You, are becoming more interesting the longer I know you."

{I agree," the snake said. {It seems I won't be bored by going alongside you.}

{I'm so glad I can relieve your boredom,} I deadpanned. Ophis cocked her head to the side again, and this time I could see a glimmer of an emotion in her eyes, but I couldn't detect what exactly.

"I, will find you again," she said. "I, need to leave. Become stronger." With that Ophis turned around and left through another tear in space, leaving all a confused group in her wake.

"Well," I said," that was completely confusing. I certainly didn't expect the strongest being in existence to take the form of a little girl."

"Dio," Rover said, and his voice now carried undercurrents of an emotion I couldn't place, "do you have any idea what you just did?"

"Gathered the attention of another being far stronger than me?"

"Well…yes. But Ophis doesn't usually take an interest in others, aside from recruiting them. It didn't seem like that's what she wanted this time."

"She simply seemed to be curious about something she's never seen before, which isn't strange."

" _It seemed like more than that,"_ Irene said. _"She wants something from you; why else would she tell you to get stronger?"_

" _Rover did tell us she's recruiting an army to reclaim her home. If she believes I'm powerful, she would want to recruit me."_

" _Hmph, I don't like it. I can't read her, and I don't trust that snake she gave you."_ Said snake was now wrapped around my Index finger, and strangely enough it has eyelids, which are closed. I wonder why it's resting.

"Either way Dio," Rover said, "you now have the attention of the strongest being in existence." A grin seemed to tear Rovers mouth in two, and his eyes began to shine even brighter than normal. "I knew you were interesting Dio, but even I would never have thought you would attract Ophis' attention. Dragons are notoriously fickle beings Dio, and are exceedingly dangerous. I'm going to enjoy watching where your life takes you; your journey barely started, and already some of the big players are scouting you."

"I have no interest in becoming someone else's pawn."

"Heh, we're all pawns to something Dio, to exist means to bind yourself. Whether to an ideal or to someone else, each one of us will inevitably create the chains others may use to bind us. Be careful no one discovers your chains Dio, because those who do will never want to let them go."

My grandfather once told me the same thing; that true freedom could only exist if someone completely ceases to interact with others, an act that goes against our inherent nature as Humans. Loyalty is able to chain any man. Where might and magic could bend steel, they become utterly useless against chains of the heart. We ourselves create the instruments with the potential to destroy us. After all, how many men have capitulated when their families have been under threat? Would a mother not do anything for her children? Most people never consider the darker side of loyalty, preferring to shut their eyes and be content with believing that bonds with others will make them strong, never considering what they would do if those very bonds are used against them. Those are the fools who die from a knife in the back, or poison in their drink.

The rest of the journey continued in quiet, the three of us occupied with our separate thoughts. I began to prepare plans on what I wanted to learn in the wizarding world, as I remember that magic there is versatile, if lacking in the explosion department. First on the list is a personal dimension; I'm too lazy to carry things around all the time.

"We're here," Rover said, breaking Irene and I out of our thoughts.

" _There's nothing here,"_ Irene said. I looked, and saw that she's correct; the area here looks exactly the same as everywhere else.

"Umm Rover," I said slowly, so as not to insult his delicate sensibilities, "are you sure the meeting with Ophis didn't knock the remaining screws from your head? Because there's nothing in here."

"Don't be silly Dio," he replied, "those screws were never present in the first place. And yes I'm sure, and I'm frankly insulted that you would doubt me."

"Then stop showing off and just get this over with. This place is creepier than you when you're making sense."

Rover turned around sullenly, grumbling about evil silver haired pricks, and I did my best to ignore him. He acts like such a child at times. He withdrew the same sword from his portal and slashed it in front of him, once more creating a portal. This one showed the interior of a house, but I noticed that this portal didn't seem to suck in the surroundings like the one we entered form did.

" _Think about that for a moment Dio,"_ Irene said. " _If this place represents nothing, then there's nothing for the portal to draw in."_

" _If that's true, then this place is much more terrifying than I first assumed."_

"Well kids," Rover said, "enough dilly-dallying!" Before I could reply with a well thought out snarky comment, Rover jumped in the portal, dragging us along with him.

The three of unceremoniously fell to the floor, which resulted in a tangled heap of limbs. Irene has wings, so she was able to fly up to detangle herself. I however, had to deal with not crushing Theresa while also not waking her up, since she somehow managed to sleep through everything. Thank goodness for small mercies; this would have been much more uncomfortable if she was awake.

"Now why are you all on the floor?" I glared at Rover, who had the audacity to _smirk_ at me, as if he wasn't the one who did this.

"I will get you back for this, just wait," I told him.

"I'm shaking in my boots already. Now, get up and look at your new house!"

"This is our house? It seems…plain, compared to what I expected." It looks like a normal house; a sized normal ceiling, normal furniture, and normal everything else.

"Well of course it is Dio. What, did you expect me to enchant the house? I'm not your nanny, do it yourself." I could say nothing; just stare at the walking headache producer in front of me. Luckily, Irene didn't seem to have the same problem and managed to sum up the entre situation.

" _He's an infuriating prick,"_ she said, " _even when he's helping. And you've dealt with him alone for three years? You have my sympathy."_

" _Thank you Irene, it hasn't been easy."_ The two of us shared a moment that only those who were forced to deal with the truly infuriating could ever understand, which rover somehow seemed to pick up on.

"I feel like the two of you are talking about me, and not in a good way," he said.

"Rover, I would be surprised if there isn't someone saying something bad about you at all moments." He actually pouted when I said that, and my headache came back in full force.

"Well fine Dio, be that way. And here I was going to be nice and help you out. Now, you three can figure things out by yourself." The surrounding shadows swirled around him, and when they vanished he was gone.

" _Good job Dio,"_ Irene said, " _you hurt his feelings and now he left."_

" _ME?! Half of this is your fault."_

" _Yes, but I'm a woman. So all the blame falls on you automatically."_

" _Oh that's it, I'm going to sleep. I'll deal with all of you later."_

I picked a room for Theresa to sleep in, and noticed that a bed for Irene was already in the room along with a normal sized bed. Once I made sure Theresa was comfortable, I went to the adjacent room and jumped on the bed. However, before I could fall asleep a newspaper article caught my attention.

GRINGOTTS Break-in latest

'Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.

"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon.'

" _Well then"_ I thought _, "at least now I know_ when _I am."_

 **AN:**

 **This chapter got out of hand; about 1.5x the length of previous chapters. I received a message asking me for my progress, so ill inform you all here; my current progress on a chapter can always be found in my profile. That is all. See you next time, Ash out.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Wow, I received quite a bit more followers, and even some reviews. It felt great, seeing all that, and I take it that you all are enjoying the story.**

 **So, as stated in the last chapter, this one is not a story chapter. This is basically an information chapter, so you could technically skip the entire thing, although I would prefer if you didn't, as I will ask questions I would like for you all to answer. Some decisions I will leave in the hands of you all, as I can work with whatever you choose. Also, I tend to ramble and get lost on tangents, which I hope isn't a problem on my actual story. I'll give you all an overview about the different powers, characters, races, and even the characters, while also answer possible questions I think you may have. No one has asked me a question yet, so these are all ones I came up with myself. Feel free to visit my forum or send me a message to ask a question. I'll also talk about where I plan on taking the story in the future.**

 **There will be minor spoilers for Fable and HP, but nothing that can't be found on the wiki.**

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or Fable; they belong to JK Rowling and Microsoft respectively. I only own Dio, and I make no money off of this story.

-One thing that bothers me about many series are Heroes. I will never understand the borderline obsessive need of saving people that all Heroes seem to have. So I will say this now; Dio is NOT a 'hero.' However, he isn't a villain. I understand that PG filters and audience pandering prevent many villains from being killed off, but my story has none of that, as I am making no money. Dio has no qualms about killing others, as I've shown various times in the story already.

However, he isn't a cold blooded killer. He will never kill people simply because it's the easiest path to take, only when it's the most effective path. He also will not kill the people he cares about, but that will become more apparent in the future, as I have big plans that I will not go into just yet. Dio will not save someone just because he can, but he also won't kill someone just because he can either. He will neither be like Dumbledore or Voldemort; Dio will care about his immediate circle of friends, and others can fend for themselves. He is a 'grey' character, who isn't above manipulating others to get what he wants. Dio will also never help anyone who won't help themselves first, he isn't a nanny.

-Romance-

Romance will be a feature of the story, but I want to take it a little different than in other stories. Nothing drastic really. I will never understand why authors dance around the subject of romance, or try to make it seem like more than it really is. Especially when it comes to teenagers. Take a typical harem anime for example; multiple women will all chase after some guy, but an actual romance will never develop. They all seem content to look at each other from afar, or dance around the issue.

NO.

Most of these people are teenagers; I want to see (not actually see, that's for porn) some ass grabbing, or tongues being shoved down someone's throat. Intimacy is an inherent part of romance, especially in teenagers. While I have no plans on writing lemons, Dio will have physical relationships with others. I may include small smut scenes, but I make no promises. Sex and things will happen off screen, but it will be clear when it happens.

Now, on the same subject, I will never understand why some guys allow women to step all over them. The opposite is also true, but since both Dio and I are guys, I will speak from a male perspective. Women in many stories seem to have total control over a man's life, or seem to be able to cow a man into submission with a simple look. Take lily potter for example; most everyone seems content to write her as having full control over James. While some men would allow that to happen, Dio is NOT one of them.

Now, I don't mean Dio won't take a woman into consideration when deciding something. But a relationship is supposed to be about two equals, and that's what I plan on forming with Dio. I'm simply tired of reading about men who are content with shutting up and doing whatever a woman wants. While it's a funny joke, it's also not a healthy relationship.

I also will never understand the abusive woman role. Again, this is mostly found in anime, but it does pop up in some stories from time to time. No self-respecting man will allow a woman to abuse him for no reason (familiar of zero, I'm looking at you!). That simply isn't healthy. Dio will never abuse, or be abused, in his relationships. He is a strong independent man, and he don't need no wife!

Relationships are complex things, especially with teenagers (who will be the focus of the story for a few years, you'll see why sometime next chapter). Even in a working relationship, an individual will change parts of themselves to accommodate their partner. In my own personal experience, a woman will attempt to change the man they love into why they want that man to be. You hear the jokes of 'training' men plenty of time. This is not always a conscious effort, and rarely malicious in intent. I myself have been a 'victim' of this, but few people on either side of the relationship ever realize that this is happening. Now, why the hell is this important?

Because I plan on giving Dio a harem. Hold it! Put away the pitchforks please. Let me explain.

Most harems I've seen (again, in anime, but in a few books and FF too) have failed completely. Again, the people involved seem content to not change the status quo, and/or blame everything on the guy because of some obscure reason (Infinite Stratos, for example). While Dio will sleep around and be involved romantically and sexually with some people, I only plan on forming his harem with two people at the moment. You should all know who they are, because I put it in the tag from the very beginning. I'll tell you just in case you didn't pay attention.

Luna Lovegood is one, and Theresa is the other.

I chose them for two reasons; one, because they are my favorite characters from their respective series. And two, because they are the perfect characters to mold.

Let's begin with Luna. I never saw Luna as a 'light' character in the series; she only seemed to be on that side because that was where her friends were. And as we saw in deathly hollows, her friends are VERY important to her. Important enough I believe, to have been the ones to mold her to the light side. They were her lifeline to sanity, and she couldn't abandon them. Rather, she tried to emulate them. Now, replace her friends with Dio. You'll see how that happens soon.

How can this be? (The rest of this will be facts from the wiki, as well as my interpretation.)

Luna witnessed her mother (whose name the wiki states is Pandora) die at the tender age of nine due to a failed spell experiment. That would scar any child, and it also seemed to scar her father, Xenophilius (who I shall refer to as Xeno). Both of them seemed to withdraw into themselves after Pandora's death, which is a natural reaction. Xeno threw himself into his work at the quibbler, which happens often when someone close to you dies. While he loves Luna, she looks and acts enough like her mother that it hurts Xeno whenever he sees her, so he unconsciously avoided her. Not neglected though, he just spent less time with her.

That makes for a rough childhood, only made worse by Luna's coping mechanism of interacting with 'made up' animals. Some of the animals will be 'muggle' animals that magicals have no knowledge of. We all know Luna was heavily bullied for years, which also scars children emotionally. So why does all this matter?

Because Dio will be the one who saves her, eternally earning her loyalty. (Well, maybe that's a little strong. You know what I mean.) He will at first be the father or authority whose attention she will crave, and that will eventually turn into something more. She will want to spend as much time as she can around him, but she will be unsure of how to act around him at first.

Again, how this happens will become relevant in the end of the next chapter. But I'll give a hint; there's only one conceivable way (at least that I can think of) that Dio, someone who's in the latter half of his twenties, to be part of HP canon. I've only seen two authors do what I plan on doing, and neither ever went anywhere with the stories.

I've always seen Luna as a prime character to manipulate, since she could essentially show the same degree of loyalty that Bellatrix did.

Theresa is an easier character to write about. Fable players know Theresa as a wise and manipulative character, who always helps the MC (who is also a descendant of her brother's bloodline). However, we actually don't know much about Theresa. She is immortal, manipulative, and seems to have some form of end goal. So this is my take on her.

In the game, Theresa was found by Twinblade – a former hero turned bandit king- after the attack on Oakvale. Imagine what she must have gone through; she had to be stronger than anyone to not be taken advantage of by the numerous men in the group. And who's to say she wasn't at some point? Of course, the game would never have implied that, but reaching that conclusion isn't a stretch.

But then Dio came along. True, she was still abused and raped, and yes, it was Dio's fault. His intervention in the Fable world is the reason Theresa was captured by normal bandits instead of being fund by Twinblade. Because of what happened, Theresa's innocence was ripped from her, leaving a jaded child behind. While she will still act like a child at times, there will be instances where she will be, for lack of a better word, cold.

So then, we have a normal child who was abused, raped, and then the bandits planed on killing her, but then then Dio saves her. That would instill a case of dependency and hero worship in any child, after the initial phase of caution and mistrust that I tried to broach on last chapter. Dio will essentially be Theresa's knight on shining armor, so it isn't a stretch to think she would fall in love with him. She will have a deep seated fear of failing Dio, and will try to change herself to please him, so he won't abandon her. She won't realize this, or that she likes him, for a long time however. He and Irene are the only two people she has left, and are the people who have protected her, cared for her, and –in the future- the ones who trained her.

While she will unconsciously change herself to suit Dio, she will not be a lost puppy that follows his every order without question, especially as she grows older, and she won't be submissive. She will attempt to change Dio's mind on things that she doesn't agree with, as she will be more of a 'hero' character than Dio. She will be the angel on his shoulder, something which will be heavily needed in the future. She will remain with Dio often, as she is afraid of losing more people.

So pretty much, Dio saves Theresa and Luna in some fashion, and they both take a liking to him. Yes, I know that both of them are young girls, so the harem aspect won't be apparent for a long while. They will both show signs of dependency and want for his approval, as Luna is attention starved, and Theresa has no one else. Any actual romance won't become apparent until about fourth year each, where most people begin to think about romance. And even then it will be just a crush, any 'fighting' for his attention won't happen until about fifth or sixth year.

That's another thing; I hate dense protagonists. There comes a point where you realize a woman is romantically interested in you. And Dio will eventually notice Theresa and Luna have less than platonic feelings for him. While he won't be dense towards those things with other women, he will view them as little sisters for a while, which is realistically a deterrent in a relationship.

And not every woman Dio sleep with will be part of his harem. Only the woman that will follow him on his journeys through separate dimensions, hence the story title. The only two I plan on being part of his harem are Theresa and Luna, although I MAY add one more character if there's enough insistence.

Irene is a complicated character. She and Dio are very similar, which is something I've tried to show in their interactions. She won't be part of his harem, because she is physically too small to have sex with him. She does however, love Dio, and is the ONLY character that will follow him in EVERY dimension.

-Characters- (Dio and Irene will have a physical description. Anyone else has photos on the internet that you can view, so I won't waste my time describing what they look like.)

DIO= I've already spoken about him enough, so I won't say much more. Dio is on 'his' side, but he may infiltrate the order of phoenix or the death eaters (maybe both) and plan with/against them. Dio will do what he has to, but there are lines he won't cross, Rape being one of the. I plan on making him be a self-serving character, and he will help others when he feels that there's something to gain from doing so. Dio has also yet to decide on his goal in life, although I've already decided on it. (Hint; he wants to reach the level of a certain character from the fable world, someone already mentioned in a previous chapter. It isn't hard to guess, and this hint may have spoiled it). Aldo, Dio's physical features (silver hair and eyes, unnatural beauty, and pointed ears) will gain him positive and negative attention, since the British wizarding world is a place of conformity. His family history will also contribute, but that's a current secret for now. Dio will have an issue following rules; he's spent too long around an aspect of chaos, which has affected him. While he won't disregard rules entirely, he will find a way to circumvent them if he can, just to tweak the nose of others.

And remember, Dio was 'blessed' by an aspect of chaos, so he will have extreme luck. Whether good or bad depends entirely on my mood.

Physical description: 5'10 in height, and may grow taller. The skill branch in Fable series allows a hero to grow taller the more they use it. May just leave him at this height, he is plenty tall.

His musculature will be similar to an athlete. He uses magic to reinforce his strength, so he has no need to bulk up.

As mentioned before, he has an ethereal beauty that will only grow as he grows in power. His silver hair will grow to under his shoulders, similar to what Lucius Malfoy had, but longer.

THERESA= I've also gone into extensive detail on her, so I won't say much either. She is dependent on Dio, and has an abandonment complex, which stems from the slaughter of her entire family. She will try to please Irene and Dio by making herself useful, which is an unconscious result of a fear of them also abandoning her. She will also be fiercely protective of Irene and Dio, and she won't hesitate to use violence against others.

QUESTION: Where should I put Theresa? I'm stuck between Gryffindor to make the story easier, or Hufflepuff because of her phobias and insecurities.

IRENE= Like I previously said, Irene will fall in love with Dio, and they will be partners in every way except sexually. She will always remain his best friend, and will always be next to him. They are both similar to each other, but Irene has an end goal; preserving her species, which are dying out. The fae will have a part in this story, although that will happen later.

Physical Description: Like Dio, Irene has silver eyes and hair, although her's look 'normal' compared to Dio. She wears a silver dress, and currently nothing else. She and Dio could pass off as siblings, if it wasn't for the disparity in size. She is surrounded by a dull silver aura, which can brighten depending on her mood, and also when she uses mana.

Irene was six inches tall when she met Dio, but she will grow to be 1'5 soon. Her bond with Dio has allowed her to feed on his mana, which has caused her to grow exponentially. I doubt ill have her grow any larger, maybe two feet.

OTHER FABLE CHARECTERS= For the next few years (story wise) the fable characters will take a back seat. I will return to the fable universe after I'm done with the HP universe, and I plan on having Dio be there across all three games. Dio will return to the fable universe on occasion, but not for anything too important. I will however, screw with fable canon very soon.

-HP Characters-

HARRY POTTER= I never liked canon Harry potter, both because he was a Hero for no reason, and an idiot. I don't understand why someone would fight for a country that vilifies you at any possible opportunity. I understand why Harry is ignorant of some things however; he was raised in the muggle world, and even there he was neglected. I will keep him as close to Rowling's version as possible, so he won't have been physically abused. Aside from punishments, which isn't abuse. So there won't be a super Harry Potter; no heir to a multitude of houses, no previous knowledge of being the heir to house potter. He won't control half of the wizarding world through the Wizengamot, or be a political dynamo. No extremely powerful harry potter that has more raw power than anyone alive. Harry is a normal, ignorant, neglected child, and Dio will use that to his advantage.

LUNA= She is much of the same as Theresa; she will also try to please Dio so he won't abandon her. Unlike Theresa, Luna doesn't live with Dio, so she will spend less time with him. And saying any more will spoil how exactly Dio is relevant in the HP world, so I'll leave it here for now.

HERMIONE= I will admit that I never cared for her character. I will not bash her, and she will remain friend with Ron and Harry like in Canon, but Dio will not really care about her. That may change.

RON WEASLEY= I never liked Ronald Weasley, like many others. I also won't go into his faults, as those reading this will know what they are. I will not however, bash Ron. Whether I have him remain a friend to Harry and Hermione will be up to all of you, as I don't care either way. I've seen stories where Ronald is bashed in the stupidest ways; one where he failed class and was held back a year, another where he was forced into signing a contract that gave him unspeakable flatulence when he thought something bad about Harry and Hermione. That will not happen here. It may be funny, but I don't want it in my story.

OTHER WEASLEYS= the only Weasleys I actually like are Fred and George. But I won't bash them. I've seen stories where the Weasleys steal Harry's money, or do other crap to him. That won't happen here.

Molly Weasley is an overbearing woman, who nags her family (and others) into doing what she thinks is correct. But there is a reason for that. Molly had two brothers; Gideon and Fabian Weasley. They were both killed in the last war. Because of this, Molly has a very deep seated fear of losing any family members, and as a family of 'blood traitors,' the Weasleys are prime targets, so her fear is justified. She nags her family because she loves them, and she also has a soft spot for other children. She is overbearing, but no one is perfect.

Arthur is, quite simply, an idiot. A 'specialist' in muggle artifacts, he has no idea what the function of a rubber duck is. That is all.

Percy is a prick, and will remain the same he was in canon.

Bill and Charlie won't have a big part in my story, but may appear. What I do with them is up to debate.

I don't like Ginny; like her mother, she seems overbearing. Or that may be because of other fanfics, I'm not sure anymore. I call hax on the 'romance' between her and Harry; it came out of left field, and his 'feelings' were much too intense. I probably will use love potions, but will do them in a different way.

Fred and George are genius inventors, and Dio will capitalize on that. All three of them will engage in mini prank wars.

NEVILLE= I have plans for him. He has many uses.

LUCIUS= He is one of my favorite characters, as his role as the villain was likeable, and well done. He will remain a 'villain,' but I will explore his chapter more. Question for you all; should I make him gay? If so, that leaves Narcissa open for a relationship, hint hint.

BELLATRIX= Another character I like, she will remain insane and 'evil,' but I will explore how she ended up that way.

SIRIUS= Another character I like. What happened to him was unfair, and will be remedied.

REMUS= He has uses, and Dio will take advantage of his lycanthropy.

SEVERUS= He was one of my favorite characters, and I'm sad at how others have chosen to represent him. Yes, Severus was a prick who treated others unfairly, and he was a horrible teacher. But I saw one rendition where slytherin house was basically a house of rape, where the women were used as flesh toys. This happened to even the youngest of girls, and Severus joined in. Really? Severus and Dio won't be friends, but they will respect each other and work together.

THE POTTERS= Should they be dead or alive? I can work with either. I'll say this now; Dio will visit an alternate HP world where they will be alive, but that's far in the future. You all decide. I've already made plans for if they are alive in this one. I just need help on how they actually survived; I haven't bothered working on that.

TOM RIDDLE= I will keep him much like he was in canon, but he won't span Avada Kedavra. His fights will be more like the fight the one against Dumbledore in Order of the Phoenix.

DUMBLEDORE= The big man himself. I will say this now; he isn't evil. While funny, I don't really like Evil Dumbledore stories, since most are over the top anyways. He is the leader of the light, and must act like it. His record isn't spotless, and he has and will do things he regrets. He has to think about all of Britain, and not just one person. If that means making Harry a martyr because he believes a prophecy, he will do it. He will be suspicious of Dio, since Dio isn't a mindless sycophant like Dumbles is used to. He also has an aversion to killing, and believes anyone could be saved (Tom being an exception). He and Dio will clash over this. Dumbledore however, does believe in trusting others and giving people second chances, so he will try to bring Dio over to the light side. But the dark side has cookies…

ROVER= While I've referred to rover as a god, he isn't. Last chapter was the first hint that Rover isn't a god. What he really is, and what gods will are, will be elaborated at a later time when it becomes relevant. Rover is the being that maintains the chaos portion of this multiverse in stability. While he was sealed for a few centuries, he was still able to maintain stability. I'll go over what happened to him sometime in the future. As an aspect of chaos, Rover has a need to mess with as many things as he can, and he does have a short attention span (for a higher being). He does honestly like Dio, and wants to see Dio succeed at what he does. He will make things more difficult for Dio, believing that it will make him stronger in the long run.

OPHIS= If you haven't figured it out by now, this is Ophis from the High school DxD franchise. She is my favorite character from that series, and will become very important in the future. As I stated, Ophis is the single strongest being in this multiverse, since she has access to an infinite level of power. She is the Ouroboros Dragon, and was the first being to exist in this multiverse. As such she has no definitive shape and is a shapeshifter. She was born in the dimensional gap, so she represents the concept of 'nothing' as well as 'infinite,' since the dimensional gap is the nothingness separating every universe. An unspecified amount of time ago a Dragon, referred to as Great Red (who represents the concept of 'dreams'), invaded the dimensional Gap. Ophis was not able to defeat Great red, so she left and began recruiting others to form an army, referred to as the 'Chaos Brigade,' to defeat Great Red. Ophis wants to recruit Dio, but at the same time doesn't want to because he may die, and she finds him interesting. Why she finds him interesting will be revealed later. As a hint, I will simply say that she and Dio have much in common, which is something that both of them picked up on immediately. More on Ophis' personality will become apparent when I introduce her again, soon.

-Powers-

The powers of the wizarding world and fable world are completely different. Wizards have a magical core that produces the energy needed to form magic, while a Hero's body produces the energy needed to fuel Will powers. Magic in the wizarding world seems to follow a set of rules; say an incantation and follow a specific pattern, and this will happen. Will however, is different; as its name states, the individuals will manipulates mana into producing the desired effect. Will powers are generally geared towards an aspect of combat, since life in the Fable world is generally very violent. Magic on the other hand, is very versatile, but lacks many 'big booms' for combat. Dio now has both forms mixed into him, instead of having two separate ones. This will allow him, and Theresa since the same applies to her, to be extremely versatile in regards to magic.

His powers remain much of the same as they were before:

He has elemental manipulation; he can manipulate fire, ice/water, lightning, and air. He has no interest in any other elements, such as earth. He can form any element on any part of his body and manipulate them from there. However, logic still applies; you can make more fire in two hands, or an entire arm, faster than you can on one finger.

Dio can manipulate elements into any shape, but more elaborate shapes will require more time and power to make. It's easier to make a simple ice spear than it is to make a snowflake of the same size.

Each element has its own properties; fire is constantly moving, so it can't become a solid, which means no penetrating power or bludgeoning power.

Ice is the opposite; it's a solid, so Dio will use it when he wants to pierce something.

Lightning is the quickest element, which Dio will use when speed is a necessity. However, what Dio, and most other people, use isn't 'true' lightning, simply electricity. Lightning won't dissipate if it hits a tree, or simply electrocute someone. Lightning is much more powerful, and Dio will eventually realize this.

His flash step remains the same; high speed movement that is fueled by mana. He currently can't spam this, managing about twelve uses with full reserves. The cost will drop with practice, and Dio will also attempt to refine this skill, along with all others.

He can form barriers that will block most magic, except for the very powerful ones. His barriers can block weak physical blows, such as an arrow, but not something more powerful, like a blow from a great hammer. Given enough time, he could form a barrier that could block anything, even the Avada Kedavra, or a missile. But that would require an enormous amount of time, which is rarely presents amidst a battle.

He also has telekinesis, allowing him to further control over his own attacks, as he can manipulate their direction. He can also manipulate physical objects, which can be invaluable in a battle.

Dio will grow more powerful in time, and as I said a few chapters ago, at this point he couldn't defeat Voldemort or Dumbledore. Both of them will be receiving power ups; they felt nerfed to me. If you have a suggestion for a power, feel free to suggest it!

Dio will focus on the courses taught at Hogwarts, mainly runes, transfiguration and charms. I can't reveal more yet without spoilers. He will also teach Theresa much of the same skills that he has, and now that she has a form of sight, he will begin to train her physically and teach her swordplay. Irene has access to any form of magic, since the Fae are creatures of magic, so they have no limits.

 **This was all I could think of that I believed needed clearing up. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask me! Once again, I've made a forum to discuss this story, so I would prefer you visit that so everyone could see your question, along with the answer. I'll begin working on the story immediately, so enjoy, and leave a review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Authors Note:**

 **Wow, I received quite a bit of support with the last chapter. I'll take this moment to answer some of the concerns I received. I've also reached one thousand views! Thanks for the support! I've yet to receive criticism of any kind, and I'll take that as a good thing. However, feel free to inform me of any inconsistencies. I've already fixed two, but one may slip by. It's a possible danger in this story, as sometimes I go days in between any writing. I have the bad habit of procrastinating.**

 **As I mentioned before, my current chapter progress can always be found in my profile. Simply scroll all the way to the bottom and it will say 'chapter x progress: x words.' Please stop asking me how the chapter is going, as I will update whenever I write any amount of words, whether a dozen or a thousand.**

 **Now, while I did say I had plans for Neville, I will not be turning him into the boy who lived, not in this potterverse at least. I apologize to anyone if I misled you.**

 **No, I did not go into much detail on this potterverse. That was on purpose, because it is essentially a blank slate. I already know how each major event will play out; I just need to flesh everything else out. I am open to any suggestions you all may have, but I promise nothing.**

 **Yes, magical cores are fanon, but I felt like using them allows me to delve deeper into magic. I once owned all seven HP books, so I usually know what isn't canon.**

 **As I mentioned before, there will be NO bashing of any type. I was wrong when I mentioned Ginny's overbearing personality. No character is perfect, but I'm also tired of character bashing. I was told her overbearing personality was fanon, so I will refrain from using that. I do have some plans for her though, so we'll see what happens. If I do use love potions for any character, they won't be absolutely affective. They will instead be similar to the imperious. Nor will the people affected by love potions necessarily know they are being used. But that's only if, I haven't decided yet.**

 **No one mentioned whether I should put Theresa in Hufflepuff or Gryffindor, and I'm leaning towards Hufflepuff.**

 **Slytherin will not be a den of evil, now will every child there be a future death eater.**

 **Yes, Snape is a prick. But he is useful. I might not even keep him as a teacher: he doesn't need to be a teacher to remain at Hogwarts.**

 **Harry will not be a focus in this story. I'm not sure if I ever mentioned that. His celebrity status will be something Dio takes advantage of, but the world will not revolve around Harry.**

 **The potters will not be alive in this potterverse. This is to differentiate between this potterverse and the one I will visit in the future. My apologies everyone.**

 **Lucius IS the textbook pureblood. As such, I have decided to make him gay. This allows me to play around with the family a little, and allows me to explore the stigma of being gay in a conformist society with a character that is always in the limelight.**

 **On Fred and George, Dio will encourage their inventions, to gain a foothold in the Weasley family.**

 **Dio will definitely be a grey character, and will play both sides to his advantage. While he will enter into relationships with other characters, I don't think I will add anyone else from the potterverse or fable to his harem. I may make a concession, but you will need to heavily convince me.**

 **Theresa will by no means be a taciturn character. It just so happened that her entire appearances in this story have been after she was raped and abused, and I imagine someone would not be in much of a talking mood after that. She will talk and interact with others often, although she will always carry a jaded aspect to her not commonly found in children. I would like if some of you would tell me your opinions on how I handled Theresa. Were her reactions to all that happened to her believable?**

 **I plan on visiting the subject of magical creatures in this story, mostly the ones commonly known along with Japanese youkai. The fae will also play a part in the story.**

 **I have some omakes planned out, all concerning quests and training from the fable verse. Anyone can feel free to write one of their own, just post it on my forum.**

 **Because HP is set in and around Scotland, the English spoken will have subtle differences than the English I am used to. I have no interest in researching the 'local lingo' there, but if any of you would be kind enough to inform me of it, I would definitely incorporate it into my story.**

 **Now, my final question is whether you all would like me to continue answering questions like I just did, or post then on my forum so they aren't in the way? Take note, if I do post the answers on my forum, it will be every readers responsibility to look at them there.**

 **Enjoy the chapter, and please leave a review. Ash out.**

"Speech"= A normal conversation

"Speech"= Thoughts, telepathy.

"{Speech}" = Parseltongue

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or Fable; they belong to JK Rowling and Microsoft respectively. I only own Dio, and I make no money off of this story.

I immediately noticed two things when I awoke; whatever I was laying on is far too soft, and that a foreign weight on my chest restricted my breathing. I cracked an eye open and nearly shat myself from fright; an enormous black snake was on my chest, with its head inches from mine, its demonic eyes staring into my eyes, and into my very soul. So I did what any sane person would do; I screamed –a manly scream, mind you- and jumped straight into the air, pushing the snake as far away from me as I could. However, before I could bolt out of the room –again, in a manly way- I heard the snake speak.

"{Ouch,}" the snake said with a distinctly feminine voice, "{what was that for?}" It took my brain a moment to reboot, and then I remembered everything that happened yesterday.

"{Are you the snake that Ophis gave me,} I asked it. Said snake coiled itself and raised its head from the ground before responding. I then noticed that it's only around three feet long; while not enormous, it's certainly bigger than the last time I saw it.

"{Yes, I am}"it replied. "{Now, what's the big idea of throwing me to the ground?}" I laughed sheepishly.

"{I may have been a teensy bit surprised. I was not expecting to wake up to an enormous snake inches from my face.}"

"{Ah, my apologies. I was curious as to what type of person you were, and wanted to observe you. Frightening you was not my intention.}" Before I could argue that no, I wasn't frightened, the door burst opened and both Theresa and Irene barged in.

" _Are you alright Dio?"_

" _I heard a little girl screaming, who was it?"_

However, before I could respond, both of them noticed the snake not four feet away from them. Theresa immediately rushed towards me and hid behind me, essentially using me as a human shield. Irene was much more pragmatic, and began to observe the snake curiously. After rising a few more feet into the air, I noticed.

" _What is that,"_ Theresa asked.

" _Have you never seen a snake before,"_ I asked.

" _A…snake? No, I haven't. What is it?"_ That's strange. I've never met anyone who has never seen a snake. But I never encountered one in Albion. For all I know, snakes may not exist there.

" _A snake is similar to a lizard,"_ I told her. _"However, snakes have no legs, they move by using the muscles on their stomach. They're also much larger than a lizard."_

" _That's weird. Is it dangerous?"_

" _Some snakes can be, but that's true for almost any animal depending on the circumstance. This one belongs to a friend, and is here to…keep an eye on me."_

" _Is this the snake that Ophis gave you,"_ Irene asked.

" _Yup."_

" _And why is it so much larger now?"_

" _I have no idea."_

" _Then I take it it's the reason you screamed like a ninny?"_

" _I did not! It was the neighbors."_

" _Dio, we may not even have neighbors."_

" _Semantics."_

" _Was it trying to attack you?"_

" _Not at all. I just woke up and her face was close to mine, which surprised me."_

" _Her? Of course she's female, why wouldn't she be."_

" _Don't tell me you're jealous?"_

" _Don't be silly. She was probably going to attack you. Why else would she be here?"_

" _You really don't like Ophis do you?"_

" _No. You can't trust her Dio. Who knows why she's interested in you? She probably wants to recruit you into fighting whatever it was that kicked her out."_

" _That doesn't sound like a bad idea. At the very least, it would be an epic battle."_

" _And you would end up dying Dio. Ophis did say you are currently too weak."_

" _Ugh, don't remind me."_

" _What are you two talking about,"_ Theresa asked.

" _Just someone we met yesterday dear,"_ Irene replied.

" _Dio,"_ Theresa said, _"you aren't going to die soon, are you?"_ Damn, now I feel like a prick.

" _No I'm not,"_ I assured her. " _Irene was just being insensitive, like always."_

" _I am not!"_

The snake had apparently grown tired of being kept out of the conversation, because she hissed angrily.

"{Are the three of you going to continue standing around like fools for much longer?"

"{Ah, my apologies. The three of us are able to speak telepathically. At times we forget that others are unable to hear us.}

"{Telepathic communication? That seems like a useful ability.}"

"{Very useful. It wouldn't be difficult to do it between us. We already have a trial bond.}" I could immediately feel the difference in the bond between the two of us, and the bond I formed with Irene and Theresa. The bond between the two of us is superficial at best, and only allows slivers of emotions to trickle through.

"{While that does seem like an interesting prospect, do remember who I originate from. A mental connection to a fragment of the only being to predate time would tear your mind asunder. I imagine you would want to avoid that."

"{Well…yes, I would. On that same note, why is your personality so different from Ophis'?"

"{That would be a result from my interaction with you. Brief and transient though it may be, the bond we formed allowed me to root through your memories. I have a greater understanding of human interactions compared to my creator. This bond between us is…interesting. In a measly day, I've garnered more knowledge of 'normal' interactions than my creator has managed to in countless centuries. I can see why she is so fixated on you; you exhibit a frightening amount of potential."}

I can't say hearing that didn't tickle my and Theresa kept looking between us during our conversation, and I can only imagine what we must sound like. I don't have any normal friends, do I? Whether its hissing with a snake, or telepathic communication, no conversation is ever normal is it? Well, it isn't like I'm complaining; normal is boring and overrated.

"{You know,}" I told the snake, "{I don't believe I've caught your name. I assume you know mine if you've rooted through my memories.}" The snakes head cocked to the side, seeming almost human in its actions.

"{A…name? I don't believe I have one. My creator never intended for me to develop any facet of individuality, a will of any kind. I was intended to be a puppet, one that relayed information to my creator, while also, if you willed it, a vessel for her power to flow through you. As such, I have no name. I find that….disquieting. No matter; you are here. You are the cause of my confusion. Would you grant me a name?}"

"{A name huh. I'll need some time to decide on one, as I've never granted anyone a name before.}"

"{That is acceptable. I am in no hurry.}"

Any further discussion between us was interrupted by the divine smell of food that filled the entire room. I looked over at Irene and Theresa, and the three of us nodded, the same thought drifting through our link; 'eat first, everything else later.'

We followed the fell of food through the house, the snake trailing curiously behind us, and we eventually stumbled into the kitchen. Our attention was immediately drawn to the veritable mountains of food stacked on a long table. Pancakes piled high with a jar of syrup beside them, heaps of bacon, toasted bread, biscuits, rows of fried sausages, an assorted bowl of fruits, omelets piled on top of each other, and two jars filled with milk and orange juice respectively. The three of us stared at the obscenely large amounts of food in utter shock. Neither Irene nor Theresa had ever seen such a diverse amount of food served at once, and even I, coming from a rich family, had never seen this amount of food served in a single breakfast. My attention was then drawn by a gentle humming. I looked over to the stove and saw what is, quite frankly, one of the queerest creatures I've ever observed.

It stands at what I average to be three feet, averaging out around my waist. Its skin is a mixture between a dull grey and a light green, although most of its body is covered by what appears to be a pillowcase. Two large ears flapped around as the creature expertly moved around, pans and skillets filled with more food floating around it. I felt hesitant to disrupt it, but after around a minute of watching it continue to cook even more food I coughed to catch its attention.

It immediately turned around and I was taken aback at how strange its face is. A long bulbous nose protruded from its face, and a part of me wondered if the creature took care not to bump it into anything. Two bulbous eyes peered at the world in childish wonder, and they seemed to enlarge when the creature caught sight of us. I felt like I should recognize what this creature is, but it escaped my mind.

"Master and company be'es up," the creature said. Its voice carried a female undertone to it, although its face gave no indication as to its gender. "I's be'es cooking food for master and company. Is you be needing any more food?" My eyes nearly popped out of my head at those words; more food? I'm not sure we're able to finish the amount of food already cooked. A slew of other questions formed in my head, but I decided to ask the creature to stop cooking, lest we eat whatever supply we have in a single serving.

"Uhh no," I replied to it, "we don't need any more food cooked. This much is enough, right guys?" While Irene couldn't verbally respond, Theresa could, although she continued to 'stare' at the food transfixed. I elbowed her slightly, enough to get her attention.

"Umm what was the question," she asked. Thankfully she noticed that I asked the question aloud and played along, or else this would have been much more awkward.

"I was telling the kind creature here that this amount of food is more than enough, don't you think?"

"Oh yes, you're right. Although," she mumbled quietly to herself, "can any more food even fit on that table?"

"Oh, should I be'es putting the rest of the food away," the creature asked, indicating the food currently being cooked.

"That would be for the best." It nodded, and with a snap of its fingers the pots and skillets disappeared, while the oven turned off. The creature then simply stared at us expectantly, and it took me a moment to realize what it wanted.

"Well guys, we might as well sit down and eat, right?" Theresa nodded and took one of the six chairs, but Irene at least is more pragmatic than that.

" _Do you think the food is safe to eat,"_ she asked. Theresa stopped midway from grabbing the food nearest to her, and I knew that Irene also asked her the question.

" _It should be,"_ I replied. _The creature, whatever it is, doesn't seem malicious. And it knew we were here. If harming us was its intent, it could have done so while we slept."_

" _True. However, that doesn't rule out that this creature may attempt to poison us. How do you know we can trust it?"_

" _I trust Rover, and he undoubtedly knew this creature would be here. I doubt he would allow a creature that sought to harm us to be here. It also seemed to be expecting us if its behavior up to now is anything to go by."_

" _That could be a ruse meant to cause us to lower our guard."_

" _You worry too much Irene. You need to relax every once in a while, and take that stick out of your ass."_ I proceeded to sit at the table, ignoring the stream of profanities and threats of bodily harm that Irene hurled at me. She did however, bring up some valid points, so I made sure I lowered Theresa's arm. She peered up at me curiously, but said nothing. I took two pancakes and set them on a plate along with a fork and knife appeared in front of me, and I idly noticed that the same utensils also appeared in front of Theresa. I poured syrup on both pancakes and sliced a piece off. I ate it, and could feel all eyes on me, but other than a delicious taste, I could detect nothing wrong with the pancake.

"It's very good," I said. The creature grinned, seemingly pleased at the compliment. Theresa nodded and reached for the nearest food. Which I noticed was the bacon, before I once again stopped her.

" _You shouldn't grab your food with your bare hands Theresa, it isn't sanitary."_

" _But why,"_ she asked with a frown. " _I've always eaten like that."_ I remembered that I never saw utensils used in Albion, and felt a headache begin to form at the fact that I now have to teach both Irene and Theresa how to act 'civilized,' as well as get them acquainted at how modern society works.

"While that is true Theresa, its cleaner to use these," I then lifted the knife and fork, "instead of using your hands. That way, none of the dirt and grime from your hands will get on your food, and you won't be eating it. Make sense?"

She nodded, although she seemed unsure of how to use the utensils. I did my best to teach her, but the tantalizing food placed so near me caused me to not pay as much attention as I should. I may have stabbed her hand with a fork once. Or twice. It took a few minutes, but when Theresa managed to learn how to successfully use the utensils I began to devour the food. I almost cried at the amazing taste; after three painful years of subsisting on bread, which was not always fresh, a few vegetables, and mutton, the taste of fried food and food cooked with sugar is almost like a blessing. I ate with the fervor of a starving man, determined to eat as much of the food served in front of me as I could. Before I noticed, I abandoned any sense of decorum and simply shoveled as much food into my gullet as I could. I could feel Irene's disgust at my eating habits through our link, but I ignored it. Right beside me, Theresa fared no better; she had already abandoned her utensils, and was eating just as much, if not more, as I am. I imagine it would be worse for her; while I have eaten this food in the past, all of it would be new to her.

I'm not sure how long I ate for or exactly how much food I ate, but I didn't stop until my stomach screamed in protest and threatened to hurl everything I ate. I sat back with a sigh, and unbuckled my to relive some of the pressure. I looked at the food left on the table, and let loose a chuckle at what I saw; the entire table looks like a hurricane hit it. Food strewn everywhere, and at some point the jar with orange juice was tipped over, releasing orange juice over the entire table. Frankly I don't know what to say at this point; Theresa and I managed to eat enough food to feed five people. I just hope we have more food in stock, or we may be in trouble.

" _You two are pigs,"_ Irene said. _"Look at the mess you've made; who's going to clean all this up?"_

Instead of answering, Theresa just groaned. _"My stomach hurts,"_ she said.

" _Of course it does dear; do you have any idea at how much food you ate?"_

" _But Irene, I couldn't resist. That was the tastiest food I've ever had. I wish my stomach didn't hurt so I could eat more."_

Irene shook her head before looking over at me. " _And you? I expected you to have more manners than that. You two looked like rabid wolves."_

" _Shush you,"_ I replied. _"I couldn't resist; like Theresa said, the food was too good."_

She rolled her eyes but dropped the topic. I looked around again and noticed that the creature from before was staring at us with wide eyes.

"Sorry about the mess we caused," I told it, "we got a little overexcited."

"No no," it said shaking its head, "I be'es happy that master and friends liked the meal. If you all's be movin, I can be's starting to clean." While I still have a ton of questions to ask, the creature seems eager to clean, and I've always hated doing the dishes. I left the kitchen and began to inspect the house. The first thing I noticed is the material the house is made form; unlike what I would expect from modern houses, this one is made from wood, not plaster. More specifically, thick wooden logs stacked on top of each other. It reminds me of a stereotypical lumberjack's house. While I'm not sure exactly what wood was used to make the house, I could feel traces of magic through every log.

While the house is not as fancy as I expected, a decent amount of furniture is still present. The living room has two sofas that can each sit three people, with an ottoman for each. A wooden cabinet filled with books takes up half of the living room; I'll have to check those out later. The kitchen has a large table that can also sit six people, but I haven't yet searched the cabinets. The oven in there is fairly large, with six stovetops to fry food with. I'll have to check how those are powered; if I remember correctly, magic usually causes electrically powered tools to malfunction.

As I walked around, I found seven other rooms in the house. The first three are bedrooms, one being mine and the other Theresa's and Irene's, and all three are next to each other. The third bedroom is unoccupied, making it useful for guests or storage. All three rooms have the same design and dimension; light lilac wallpaper, a bed for two people, one cabinet and one closet. The next two rooms are matching bathrooms; a single toilet in each, a large bathtub, and a large sink.

The last two rooms are nothing special; one seems to be a spacious garage, but lacks a car. The other has a multitude of boxes, so I assume it features as a storage room. What struck me about the house is how bare it looks; there's enough furniture to be comfortable, but the entire house lacks decorations of any kind. It's literally a clean slate; we can decorate it however we feel like. I'll have to thank Rover next time I see him. I just hope he doesn't develop a swelled head when I do.

I walked around a bit more, making plans on how to decorate the house, until that creature approached me again.

"I be'es finished," it said. "Master be saying he be having questions to ask?" I nodded and walked into the living room, noticing that everyone was already there.

"Well," I said, turning to the creature, "The most important question I have is, what exactly are you?"

"I be'es a house elf, serving the House of Trajan." Ah, a house elf, I remember those. Loyal and hardworking creatures, at least to those who treat them correctly. I would ask the house elf more about her species, but I would rather listen to it speak- if it can be called that- as little as possible.

"You knew we would be here. How?"

"The voices be telling me."

"And you go around listening to random voices do you?"

"I not being crazy master. It be one person, but many be speaking." Ah, that sounds like Rover. He told the creature we would arrive.

"Did these voices say anything else?"

"No master. They only be saying you and friends would arrive, nothing else."

" _Well guys,"_ I asked them, _"Do you have any other questions to ask?"_

" _How do you know we can trust this creature,"_ Irene asked.

" _This is a house elf. The very meaning behind their existence is to serve their masters."_

" _That doesn't sound healthy,"_ Theresa said.

 _They're a strange race, but harmless to those who treat them well. You also won't find a more loyal or hardworking race anywhere."_

" _Fine, whatever Dio,"_ sighed Irene _." You seem to trust This Rover a lot, so I'll trust you. You do know what you're doing right?"_

" _Not at all. But I do know House elves can be trusted."_

"Well then," I said to the elf, "do you have a name?"

"No master," it said, its large bat ears wildly flapping around. "The master be granting the House elf a name, it always being like that." Perfect, that makes two beings I have to name in one day.

"I'll come up with one later. For now though, there are two things I need you to work on." The elf stood a little straighter when I said that, and her eyes filled with determination. "The first thing I need you to do is learn how to properly speak English. Listening to you butcher the English language gives me a migraine. The second thing is more of my responsibility. I need to find a uniform for you; no servant of mine will walk around in rags."

If possible, the elf's eyes became larger, and unshed tears began to pool within them.

"Master be'es granting me an uniform? It being every elf's dream to have uniform! Our goals being for masters to grant us an uniform!"

"In that case, I expect you to live up to my expectations then."

"Of course master, I be being the greatest house elf you sees!"

"That sounds perfect. I'll help you with your English lessons later. For now, go see if anything needs to be done. I still need to explore around for a bit." The elf nodded, and popped away. I stared at the spot where it stood for a second, before I felt an enormous grin threaten to split my face.

That elf, just teleported.

With everything that's happened recently I forgot that teleportation is an actual thing in this universe. I need to learn how to do the same, as quickly as possible. Finally, no more walking to every destination like a common plebe! However, before I could break out in maniacal laughter Irene just had to interrupt me.

" _Dio, you're doing it again."_

" _Doing what?"_

" _Looking like a crazy person."_

" _Doesn't he always look like that,"_ Theresa said.

" _You're right sweetie; he does always look like that. I'm glad I'm not the only one who's noticed."_

" _Oh no,"_ I moaned, " _this is how it starts; first, you two begin to agree on everything. The, you'll begin to overrule all of my decisions. It won't be long until I turn into a mindless drone following orders."_

" _But of course,"_ Irene said with an elegant flip of her hair, _"that_ is _the fate of every man."_ We stared at each other for a moment, before breaking out in laughter. Theresa just looked confused between us.

" _I don't get it."_

" _Don't worry Honey,"_ Irene said, " _You'll understand when you're older."_

The next five months passed in a headache inducing blur, and I felt as if I was once again in university; I spent every second pouring over the veritable library of books in the house. The cabinet in the living room contains space expansion charms similar to the ones in the backpack that rover gave me. Once opened, someone could walk inside and browse through the entire selection. Said selection is extremely diverse; everything from history to battle magic can be located.

The first thing I focused on was not teleportation, shockingly enough. While trying to find a book on how to apparate, I noticed a fairly large book titled 'History of the Trajan family.' Curious and apprehensive at whatever bullshit Rover could come up with, I began to read the book.

The books content was surprisingly tame. And by that I mean there was a distinct lack of world conquering and dragon slaying. Well, there were minor cases of each, but neither were extravagant. My family's history began with the Roman soldier emperor Trajan, whose name I adopted. Trajan was one of the most successful Roman Emperors, and his rule saw roman territory borders expand to their greatest reach. His descendants continued to leave their name in History, with some of them also becoming emperors. The Trajan's were one of the few old families who survived the purging of the aristocracy that arose throughout Europe, but did flee to the colonies in America to avoid ruffling any feathers. There they quickly built a name for themselves, with the line currently ending with me and, surprisingly enough, Theresa, who is recorded to be my younger sister.

The Trajan's were notoriously famous for their powerful magic, specifically their prowess in wandless magic. They were feared on the battlefield, being able to turn the tide of any battle with a few wizards. The Trajan's were also one of the few families that constantly circulated new blood into their bloodline, although they were always careful on whom exactly they chose and made sure to remain purebloods. There was never a lack of families who were interested in marrying into the Trajan line, since their prowess in wandless magic was coveted by everyone.

Of course, the wandless magic is nothing more than the Will powers that Theresa and I have. The family history continued to detail the various battles and interactions with other families that the Trajan's developed in America, until the family was killed ten years ago. The investigation by the American auror's discovered that Dio Trajan was taken captive twelve years ago by a group of wizards at one of the regular balls that the family attended. It was later discovered that these wizards were descendants of the Biros family, who were Greek wizards with a blood oath pact to kill the Trajan family. With Dio taken as a hostage, the Trajan's were forced to allow the kidnappers access to their home. No one knows what exactly happened in there, since the only survivors were young Dio and Theresa, with Theresa being too young to know what happened, and Dio being too traumatized to accurately describe what happened.

Dio went on to graduate from the Salem University of Magical Enlightenment as the Valedictorian of his year, and immediately enrolled to become a Hit wizard. He was accepted at the age of twenty, and he became one of the most successful Hit wizards throughout the next five years. Then one day, Dio sold all of the lands owned by the Trajan's, quit his job, transferred his funds to the British Gringotts, and immigrated to Britain with his younger sister. From what the book says, that was two months ago. While the book did shed some much needed light on what my role in this universe will be, Rover found a way to screw me over; the book lacks any specific details on the life of Dio Trajan. No friends were described, no school transcripts, nothing. The book only contained general information, essentially throwing me to the wolves because I need to come up with a background that hopefully wont contradict any 'facts' about the Dio and Theresa Trajan of this world.

" _How perfect,"_ I told Irene, who read most of the book with me. _"Not only am I a descendant of an Emperor, but my family remained powerful and influential throughout the ages. I'm sure I, and by extension the both of you, are going to be in the spotlight once we go outside."_

" _There's nothing we can do about it,"_ She replied. _"Besides, it isn't like acting like a noble is new to you, is it."_

" _No it isn't, but it's not something I enjoy. Playing the game is akin to wading through a pit of snakes; if you slip up even once, they'll sink their teeth into you, and not in the fun way."_

" _That's a lovely mental image."_

Thankfully enough I haven't had to step outside of the house even once during the last five months; I've been too busy examining what magic is like. The first thing I noticed is how easy my old and new powers came to me; while wielding them was never exceptionally difficult before, now it came as easy as breathing to me. If using Will powers is like drawing water from a well, using magic is similar to commanding an eager puppy. While magic lacks a true form of sentience, it's hard to deny that it is, in at least some definition of the word, alive.

Will powers will never activate without a conscious effort from the wielder. Magic on the other hand, has no such distraction, and actually requires some restraint or else it would lash out when the wielder experiences particularly intense emotions. I experienced this firsthand when I began to teach my House Elf, who I named Ellamine, how to properly speak English. Teaching her English was akin to pulling teeth. Off a live dragon. With my bare hands. When I lost my temper I inadvertently set the dictionary I was using on fire, and I knew it was me because the flame was silver, and it was then that I realized that magic is far more volatile than I initially thought.

I also noticed that any of the powers I had before were far easier to use now, and much more malleable. While before it took me time to change any element into a specific shape, now they would mold themselves to my will almost instantly. It made fighting easier and faster, but I saw many more applications for it. I began to refine my control by molding my powers into different shapes; I began to make different objects, increasing the complexity of each with time. I'm currently able to form a large tree with individual leaves. The process however, is very time and power consuming; creating a single tree my size takes me an entire hour, and drains most of my mana since I constantly maintained the spell the entire hour. While not impressive yet, it's certainly much more than I was able to do before. I'm ashamed to say that I was a bit of a power idiot, with little to no refinement in my techniques.

My main focus these last five months however, has been practicing the different forms of magic found in this universe. On my third day here I found a box full of wands in one of the closets throughout the house, with a note from Rover attached explaining that those wands were general wands for us to practice our magic. I picked up a random wand from the box and felt it form some sort of connection with my magic, which I discovered was merely what allowed a wand to channel the user's magic. Once I found the wands I sifted through the library for some books on various branches of magic, and practiced each.

I quickly found out why Rover included multiple wands in the box instead of just two; the first spell that I tried to cast caused the wand to explode from an overload of mana. The next three wands met the same fate, until I managed to restrain the mana to a level that the wand could handle. I was skeptical that the small amount of mana would produce any results since it was a thimbleful compared to what I normally used to power a spell, but I tried it out anyways. To my amazement, my target –an apple- rose three feet off the table it was on and remained in the air. I noticed a drain on my mana every second the apple remained in the air, but it was exceedingly negligible.

I explored the other branches of magic, and discovered that transfiguration and charms are my favorite. I went to charms first, as I knew that would give me less of a headache. Charms serve the function of altering the behavior of an object, making it a simple branch to understand. The book carried a platitude of simple charms to master, from making fruit dance, to making dishes clean themselves. Not that I ever managed to use that particular spell, as Ellamine is at all times all too happy to clean anything and everything. My favorite charms are granting legs to various objects, which allows them to carry me everywhere so I never have to walk myself. A useful display of power, if necessary. And the space expansion charm is an absolute godsend; it allowed my house to expand to four times its previous size when I first cast it. I had to actually cancel the charm and recast it to a manageable level as the house became too big. I discovered that the space expansion charm does have a 'limit' which depends on the quality of the material it's being cast on. Whatever wood this house is made out of, it's of a very good quality.

Transfiguration on the other hand, became an absolute nightmare in the beginning. I found a few limits on what it could do; when transfiguring one object to another, the initial size of the object cannot be changed. Of course, a simple shrinking or expansion charm circumvents that limitation. What boggled my mind is how a nonliving object could transform into a living object. I transfigured a teacup into a mouse, which had a pulse when I checked for one. However, when I used a knife to make an incision on the mouse, it reverted back into a teacup. It wasn't until a month ago that I managed to make a permanent transfiguration, and even then the mouse is the only thing that I can successfully transfigure. This time when I cut the mouse I noticed that it bled. Now completely weirded out, I proceeded to dissect the mouse and discovered that it lacked any organs. Instead, the inside of the mouse was hollow, with its skin having the same pattern as the teacup. I theorized that Transfiguration does not make an object truly living; instead, it animates it in a way similar to a golem. When casting the transfiguration, the knowledge that we have of the animal is transferred to the object, which is why they seem so real. We know how a rat is supposed to act, and magic makes it act that way. It's an easier idea to wrap my head around than magic allowing us to create life from a nonliving entity.

Herbology is something I have next to no interest in, and the same could be said about astronomy. However, both of them are important in regards to potions, which is another branch that I have an interest in. While I have managed to create some minor potions, such as a blood replenishing potion and pepper up, the truly useful potions are beyond my current skill, so I've put off truly dabbling in those branches. Creating a potion is similar to cooking, but much more dangerous; in some mixtures, a wrong ingredient measurement can cause a spell to blow up, which can have very nasty side effects.

The defense against the dark arts is a branch that I haven't managed to delve into too deeply yet; I learned the disarming and stunning spell, but haven't had the time to explore any other spells. In any case, my elemental manipulation should be enough to get me through any fights for now. The branch of magic that I'm mostly interested in now is illusion magic; I realize that my eye and hair color is unnatural, and may need to disguise it at times. And being able to disguise what you look like, or look like another person entirely, is an invaluable skill to have.

Naturally, the books I read brought up the topic of wandless magic and how difficult it is to wield. At first I had no problem casting spells with or without a wand, although that changed after a few months. While using wandless magic only requires someone to exude their mana outwardly, using a wand requires the wielder to channel their mana to the wand first. Using a wand does have benefits, as the magical core of a wand enhances the effect of a spell. A spell that would normally require one hundred points of mana only requires eighty points to achieve the same effect with a wand. However, using a wand is like using any other muscle in the body; if you use it longer, you naturally begin to repeat the process unconsciously.

While most wizards will swear that only the extremely powerful are able to wield wandless magic, one only needs to look upon the accidental magic caused by infants and children to see that it isn't true. Wandless magic simply requires a different process than using a wand does. Someone who spends years writing with their right hand finds it difficult to write with their left hand. Learning a completely different process requires a large amount of time, effort and dedication, so most simply give up and call it 'impossible.' However, if someone is taught how to wield wandless magic from the beginning, they would never have to deal with that problem.

Of course, I taught Theresa the same skills that I learned, and she took to them much easier than I did. While I've been used to pumping out large amounts of mana to overwhelm my foes, Theresa has never used her mana for anything else than to 'see' and speak with Irene and I telepathically. I had her deplete her mana reserves daily so they would increase faster. The little research –if it could be called that- done by wizards into magical cores has indicated that the more a magical core is used, the faster it grows. A wizard's limit is reached when they reach seventeen years old, so the most effective way to increase your mana supply by then is to exhaust your reserves as often as possible. Of course, this brings my case into question; I've only had my powers for three years now. Does the age limit also apply to me, or would I reach my limit in fourteen more years? Only time will tell.

However, instead of reminiscing on the past like an old man I should instead focus on the goblins in front of me. Every goblin inside Gringotts have watched my every move since I stepped inside. It's actually extremely intimidating, since other than the tellers, every goblin is equipped with full body armor and a either an axe or sword. Of course, I imagine intimidation is the exact reason for that, since a show of strength would derail thieves. That, and to scare stupid wizards.

Speaking about stupid wizards, I've interacted with them for less than a day and they've already managed to get on my nerves. Every single one has stared at me as if I'm some sort of exotic animal, which got old really quick. I know that I'm fabulous, but these stupid plebs could at least have some sense of decency and discretion and not openly gawk at me as I pass by. I doubt a single one noticed Irene, who's perched on my shoulder. The one saving grace is that no one seems to have an idea on how to approach me, so I haven't had to deal with the idiots. Yet. At least the women's reactions have been amusing; each one has been turned into a blushing stuttering mess without fail. It's both amusing and potentially useful; for one, I could probably sleep with most women based on my looks alone. But more important than that is using it to my advantage; women are more likely to reveal secrets to people that they have a romantic or sexual interest in. The same applies to men, but I'm not touching that issue with a ten foot pole.

"Step up to the counter," a gravelly voice said. Like all other goblins, this one is short, a shade of green that wouldn't be out of place in a well-kept lawn, and wore a seemingly permanent scowl on its face. Said scowl became more pronounced when the goblin laid its eyes on me. I noticed that, unlike with the other patrons, two guards approached me when I stepped over to the counter.

"You know," I said to the teller, whose nametag informed me is named Ripjaw, "Is it Gringotts policy to harass every patron like this? I don't believe I've done anything yet to warrant this hostility." The shuffling of the guard's weapons at the word yet did not go unnoticed. I really should stop being a smartass _before_ I get stabbed. I also noticed that the wizard's within hearing distance tried, and failed, to discretely listen in to our conversation. I swear, these idiots wouldn't know the meaning of discretion if I smacked them in the face with it.

"Unlike our regular patrons," Ripjaw said, "you are much more dangerous. Its Gringott's policy to closely observe patrons like you in case they become dangerous. Purely as precautionary measures, I assure you."

I blinked. "Dangerous? Me? How so?" I know for a fact that I could probably defeat most of the wizards here, but how are the goblins able to tell? My question seemed to irritate Ripjaw, who scowled even further. Of course, that may just be his default face.

"Do you take us for fools? Any goblin is able to see that you are trained in combat, even if wizards are too blind to notice. You also emanate an aura of power which only those well versed in magic ever wield. As I mentioned before, we monitor people like you because of the possible danger they may cause. We, in no way, mean it in any form of disrespect; as fellow warriors, you have our respect.

" _That's just great,"_ Irene said, " _A bunch of musclebound idiots think you're dangerous. Are you able to do anything without something going wrong Dio?"_

" _I doubt it. But it isn't like they're wrong to be cautious is it?"_

" _No, what he said is true; if you wanted to, you could cause quite a bit of destruction. So could I, if I was so inclined. Although I doubt that we would leave here alive."_

" _Then it's a good thing we don't plan on causing any trouble. Yet at least. By aura, do you think he's talking about the light our magic produces when we exude it? The only reason either of us do that is to drain our mana in an attempt to increase it. Any Hero from Albion could easily do that."_

" _Probably. That just means that the wizard's here are even more incompetent than we first assumed if they believe something so simple is a display of great power."_

"I take no offense from the actions," I told Ripjaw, "It was just a joke. Now, on to business. I want to access my vault and withdraw money."

"Present your key." Thankfully I found the Gringotts key for the Trajan account in some transcripts concerning the transfer from America to Britain. While I'm not yet exactly sure how wealthy I am, when comparing the prices of goods I've seen today to the money I seem to have in my account, I can assume that I'm rich. How rich exactly, will have to wait until I'm more familiar with the magical markets.

"We will also need a sample of your blood," Ripjaw said as he observed my key. "All new clientele at Gringotts must provide a blood sample to verify that they are who they claim to be. This blood sample is applied to the family vault, where the authenticity is checked. If I'm not mistaken, you have a younger sibling. She will also need to a sample of her blood, or she will not be allowed to withdraw funds from the Trajan Vault."

"That won't be a problem." That will definitely be a problem; while Theresa is stated to be my sister on paper, we don't actually share any blood. I'll need to find a way to fix that. "Where will this be done?"

"You, and your companion, will be escorted to the Trajan vault for the procedure. All family vaults have an individual manager that oversees their proceedings. If you will wait for a moment, I will find out who the manager for the Trajan vault is and call them up here."

'Please do so."

" _Well Dio, time to see how rich you are."_

" _We're going to have to talk about your allowance."_

" _Try to limit my spending money and ill cut you._

" _Noted."_

 **AN:**

 **This chapter is cut off early; it began to grow too long. It's twice as long as I planned it to be. The next one should be out pretty soon, as I was very busy the last few days, and I have most of it planned out already.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Authors Note:**

 **I've noticed an issue with the chapters I've posted; the line breaks aren't appearing, and neither is the underlining for Parseltongue. I'm not sure why, because my draft on Microsoft word has it. The transition to this site removes them apparently. I'll try to fix the issue somehow, but I do apologize for noticing that so late.**

 **I do agree that Dio has had some bad luck, but I promise he won't always be on the losing end. Bad luck simply gives me more to write about. As I mentioned before, this chapter and the one before were supposed to be a single one, so I will elaborate more on subjects I didn't touch upon last chapter. I have purposefully left information out, most of it pertaining to Theresa and how she has been during her time in the wizarding world, and that information will be revealed in the future.**

 **The Emperor mentioned in the book Dio finds is his namesake, King Trajan.**

 **I need a favor; if anyone knows the price of brooms in the books, if they were ever mentioned, could you tell me? I just need to know if a specific amount was ever given. I'm trying to get a feel for the economy, and the higher quality broomsticks can be considered luxury items. I've set the economy here how I like, and I will give my reasoning's for that at a later date.**

 **Enjoy the chapter, and please leave a review!**

"Speech"= A normal conversation

"Speech"= Thoughts, telepathy.

"{Speech}" = Parseltongue

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or Fable; they belong to JK Rowling and Microsoft respectively. I only own Dio, and I make no money off of this story.

-Skip-Clip-Rip-Dip-

The carts used by the goblins to reach the vaults are eerily similar to roller coasters in the sense that there only seem to be two speeds; zero, and fast. Not that I'm complaining of course, as I've always been a fan of roller coasters and rode as many as I could the few times I had the opportunity to go to a fair. Irene on the other hand, has never before had the pleasure of experiencing a roller coaster, and is currently tearing chunks of my hair off as the high speeds threatened to tear her off my head. I'm not sure if my screams of exhilaration or her screams of fear are louder. The high speed prevented me from seeing much of the underground where the vaults are located, but I did manage to catch glimpses of fire every once in a while. Whether the fire belongs to a dragon is unknown as I'm unable to hear anything other than the wind and Irene's screams in my head.

Like all good things the cart began to slow down when one of the two goblins in the cart with us –JawGauger I recalled his name is- flipped a switch. The other goblin is an unnamed guard who has yet to single word, and seems content to continue to watch me. In less than a minute the cart slowed to a crawl, before halting in front of a long tunnel which ends in a large gate.

"Get out," said the gravelly voice of JawGauger. Like the other goblins in Gringotts, JawGauger is short, green, and has a scowling face. Unlike the tellers or guards up above, JawGauger is dressed in what appears to be miner clothing, and is covered in a thin layer of dirt which I assume is from the constant travel through the underground tunnels. The other goblin is suited in the same outfit that all guards have; a full suit of a blue metal. Whatever the metal is, it must be extremely resistant to magic for the guards to be wearing it when surrounded by wizards.

As Irene and I stepped out of the cart three guards emerged from tunnels in the walls, and the guard in the cart joined them in surrounding us on all four sides. Irene continued to grip my hair tightly while also trying to calm down.

"Follow me," said JawGauger as he walked along the tunnel. He stopped in front of the large Iron Gate and took out a metal rod from his breast pocket. The rod glowed a bright yellow, which caused the gate to open. Instead of opening to the actual vault as I expected, the gate revealed a carved dragon statue standing over a small basin. Another door could be seen behind the statue.

"You must prove your identity with blood," JawGauger said as he took out a knife from another pocket. "Fill the basin with blood, and we shall see if you truly are who you claim to be." I accepted the knife with a roll of the eyes. Honestly, I would say the goblins are much too careful if they didn't guard one of the three Wizarding banks in all of Europe. And I'm fairly certain they have these annoying procedures simply to annoy humans.

I took the knife and sliced my hand open, then watched the blood pool in the basin. When the basin became filled to the brim it began to glow brightly, and I noticed the guards beside us tense. However, the light simply died out, and the vault mechanisms moved the statue aside and began to open the vault. With the guards distracted, I directed mana to my hand to heal it. After all, no need to alarm them when they aren't friendly.

"It seems you are who you claimed to be," JawGauger said looking oddly disappointed.

"What would have happened if I wasn't me," I asked.

"The vault would have pierced you with an iron spike, and if that failed, nearby guards would have been called to take care of you."

"How lovely. What now?"

"Now, you enter your vault. Gringotts goblins are forbidden from entering any of the vaults, per the accords of the third wizard-goblin war. We will wait for you here until you conclude your business, then we escort you to the surface. While I understand that you must check that all of your belongings were transferred to this branch of Gringotts, please do hurry up; contrary to what most wizards believe, we do have other matters to attend to other than waiting on you."

I shrugged and entered the vault, which sealed shut behind me.

" _Great, I hope we aren't stuck in here."_

" _If we are,"_ Irene said, _"I'm kicking your ass since it's your fault."_

" _Yes dear, whatever you say."_

" _Hmph."_

" _Have you recovered from the ride?"_

" _I'm better now. Was that really the only way to come down here?"_

" _Yup. And on the bright side, we have to ride the cart again to get back!"_

" _I hate you Dio. Next time, you're coming here yourself."_

The vault door sealed shut behind us when we walked in, probably to provide a sense of security. Lanterns came to life, illuminating a small hallway leading to another door. I rolled my eyes at the paranoia these goblins have, but proceeded to the second door and opened it.

Gleaming piles of gold caught my eye; the gleam from the lights in the vault made it seem as if the gold filled the entire room. And it practically did; there are more piles of gold taller than I am than I care to count. Smaller piles of silver and bronze coins also littered the room, but their sizes paled in comparison to the veritable mountains of gold. A small counter near the door caught my attention. When I approached it, I noticed letters and numbers on it.

-137,243 Galleons

-15,368 Sickles

-4,619 Knuts

Seems like it's a ledger. I picked up a galleon to test out a theory and put it in my pocket. I noticed that the number of galleons dropped by one. I threw the Galleon over to a nearby pile and the number increased by one. It seems that the ledger maintains itself, which is useful since I'm never going to actually count all of these coins. I wonder if there's a way to sync this ledger with a portable one?

" _I know that you said you're rich Dio,"_ Irene said, _"But this is much more than I was expecting."_

" _Same here; I've never seen this much gold anywhere. But if you think about it, the Trajan's have been amounting money for millennia now; I would be surprised if they weren't filthy stinking rich."_

" _Very true, and we also don't know the value of any of this; while it may seem like much, this may actually be a modest amount of money."_

" _I hope not; being rich has a lot of uses."_

" _While I enjoy looking at gold as much as the next girl, why exactly are we here, and why couldn't Theresa come? You refused to tell me."_

" _I couldn't have Theresa come here because she is, at least on paper, my sister. Her blood on the other hand, shares no resemblance to mine. A sample of my blood was exchanged from the Gringotts in America to this one, it's how the vault was able to ascertain my identity. Theresa's identity would have been tested if she came here, and they would have found out we share no family history."_

" _And why wasn't a sample of her blood given to this Gringotts?"_

" _Because she was too young; a child must be eleven to be admitted to a magical school, which is a rule worldwide. To make things easier, Gringotts and many other companies only allow children access to their services after they turn eleven. Now that Theresa is eleven, it's expected for her to visit a Gringotts and register to the family vault."_

" _And that's what the blood adoption ceremony you researched about if for right?"_

" _Exactly; the ceremony will allow the both if us to share the same blood; mine."_

" _Is that the reason you've been collecting blood from the three of us these past few months."_

" _It's one of the reasons; do you remember that I told you that a group of people back in Albion seek Theresa's blood for a ritual?"_ She nodded. " _That's the second reason I'm doing this; not only will I deny them the chance to use her blood, but I may be able to perform the ritual myself."_

" _And what does the ritual do?"_

" _It gives us access to the location of an extremely powerful weapon. The sword used to defeat the Court by William Black."_

" _The sword of Aeons?! You know where it is located?"_

" _Yes; under the Guild itself."_

" _That…makes sense; William did create the Guild, it makes sense that he would hide it there. No one would expect to find such a powerful weapon under one of the most popular places in Albion."_

" _Then Scythe IS William Black?"_

" _Yes he is, although I'm surprised you know that; it's supposed to be a secret only known by William Black, Nostro, and us, the Faeries."_

" _I believe I've established that I know many things I'm not supposed to."_

I received a roll of the eyes for that. " _One day you'll have to tell me how exactly you know so much. Anyways, after the fall of the Old Kingdom William asked us to guard the sword until he managed to find a place to hide it. We never saw the sword again after we returned it to him, and many Faeries have searched for it throughout the years. It's ironic that the sword would be located under the very location where most of us choose to gather."_

" _And why have you all searched for the sword all this time?"_

" _Because that sword is extremely powerful. We have no clue as to what the sword can do, but the small amount of time it spent with us made it abundantly clear that the sword is powerful. Are you sure that we shouldn't be trying to find it this very moment? You did say there are people after it."_

" _Don't worry, it'll be years before they will be ready, and after Theresa undertakes the ceremony it will be much harder for them to find it."_

" _And if she doesn't want to go through the ritual?"_

" _Then she doesn't; I'm not going to force her. But look at it this way; she's lost her entire family. This ritual will give her one. I doubt she will refuse."_

" _Very well, if that's what you think is best. Do you know who is looking for the sword?"_

" _If my sources are to be believed, and my sources haven't let me down yet, then jack of Blades is supposed to be the one searching for the sword."_

" _Jack of Blades? The one William fought? Well, its official; we're majorly fucked."_

" _Calm down, we have years to prepare before we have to fight him. And if we manage to get the sword we should be able to kill him."_

" _How did he even- no never mind. If William found a way to become immortal then it isn't a far stretch to think that Jack found a way to survive also. Let's just finish here and leave;_ _this entire trip has given me a major headache."_

I nodded and patted her on the head, dodging her attempt to bite my hand. I'm not keen on fighting jack either, but I at least have had years to get used to the thought. I know that Jack is powerful, although I'm sure the stories exaggerated his power. Either way, I need to become much stronger or else I won't survive a battle against him. And I do need to fight him; not only will it be a great battle, but I still need Albion, which means not allowing him to rule it.

I looked around the vault for the item I came for; a chest filled with more books written by my ancestors. I found a mention of the chest in an old note lying around. The chest is supposed to contain the entire history of the Trajan's, handwritten by them as they lived. It's also a compendium of their knowledge. The chest has been kept at Gringotts since the second Goblin-Wizard war, sealed by powerful Blood magic. It took Irene and I a few minutes, but we eventually found it. We're both ashamed to say that it took us far longer than necessary to remember that Irene could fly, which would allow her to scope the entire vault from the ceiling.

Irene found the chest snugly sequestered between two piles of Galleons. The chest looks like a typical treasure chest; wooden, with metal fastenings throughout it. The one object that set this chest aside from any other is the palm sized ruby located on the top of it. The gem seems to glimmer with the light refracted from the surrounding Galleons, and its shade seemed more reminiscent of a drop of blood than a ruby. Which is fitting, since blood is what it actually is. Generations of Trajan's have added their blood to the ruby, syncing their unique magical signature to it, granting them access.

I created a blade of ice on my finger and sliced my palm open, and allowed my blood to fall on the Ruby. It rippled when my blood fell on it, and shined brightly when it absorbed my blood, much like the gate outside. The top of the chest popped open when the ruby stopped shining, and I opened it. Instead of a veritable mountain of books, I found only one; a dusty old tome who's leather cover seemed to flake off. I picked the book up and opened it, and words began to write themselves on the first page.

 **Congratulations on locating the Trajan family Grimoire. Inside, generations of Trajan's have and will store their knowledge to impart on their descendants, beginning with me; Imperator Caesar Nerva Traianus Divi Nervae filius Augustus, Emperor Of Greece and Troy. My court and I have enchanted this Tome to reveal the knowledge within once it believes you are worthy of it, so no fool is able to defile the information within. Take caution of what you may find, and do not judge your ancestors too harshly. The call of powerful magic is often too tempting to resist, more so when you have nothing to lose, or something to protect.**

" _Nothing can ever be simple can it,"_ I commented.

" _What does it say?"_ I showed the page to her, and after she finished reading she seemed unsure whether to laugh at me or share my disappointment.

" _I blame you and your luck for this Dio; I've never known anyone to have as much bad luck as you have."_

" _You're telling me. I'm certain one day I'll go to the bathroom and find myself facing some kind of mutant creature."_

" _Aaaand you just jinxed yourself. Congrats."_

" _Shush you."_

I was about to put the Grimoire away in my pocket when I noticed more words written on it. They turned out to be various spells, chief among them an enchantment that causes a bag to be bottomless and weightless, much like the bag that Rover gave me. The spell itself is simple; a figure eight wand movement, and an incantation I forewent going through so as not to fall into the habit of always saying my spells aloud. I took off one of my socks, ignoring Irene's questioning look, transfigured it into a leather bag, and then proceeded to stuff handfuls of coins in the bag. Who knows when I'll have another chance to return. May as well stock up on money, especially since we are already in a shopping district.

I put the small Grimoire away in my coat pocket, with a mental note to look through it later. The other spells I noticed written into the book, tips on apparition being the most enticing. I sealed the chest with more blood and headed out of the vault. It sealed itself exactly how it opened, just in reverse. At least my blood wasn't required to close it. None of the goblins stationed outside said a word once we exited; rather, the only words said on the return trip were a rough 'Get out' by JawGauger who left as soon as Irene and I, along with our ever present goblin guard, left Gringotts for good. Even then, I could feel the eyes of the guards stationed outside watching my every move. It seems I'm a much bigger threat than I once thought if they notified this many guards. I wonder if Albus gets the same treatment?

Now that we had money, Irene and I looked at the various shops found in Diagon Alley. Most were what you would traditionally expect to find when the image of wizards is brought up; horticulturist shops with exotic and strange plants, a shop selling brooms, with the Nimbus 2000 being the centerpiece, a potions shop, an ice cream parlor, and many other shops, each distinctly garish and eye catching.. The one that caught my eye is the lone bookstore situated between the potions shop and the apothecary. I made a straight beeline for the store, my mouth practically salivating at the thought of finding more spells to experiment with.

I entered the shop and was assaulted by the smell of ink and parchment. After three years in Albion I had become accustomed to the smell, so I barely spared a thought towards it. What I did pay attention towards is the shelves filled with books that dotted the wall. I also noticed scrolls of parchment in cases below the shelves, each locked by a physical lock and I assume a magical one as well. Behind the lone counter stood an old man who, to his credit, merely stared at me for a full five seconds before catching himself.

"Ah," he said after he recovered, "welcome to my humble shop young man. Is there something I could help you find?"

"As a matter of fact there is," I replied. Irene flew off towards the shelves to look for any books that seemed interesting while I talked with the shopkeeper, who began to stare at Irene with a look of utmost admiration. I coughed to catch his attention again, and he laughed sheepishly.

"As I was saying, my younger sister is set to start at Hogwarts next year, and I would like to purchase the standard books for all of the core classes for all seven years normally purchased by Hogwarts students." The old man's eyes widened at what I imagine to be an expensive purchase, before a barely noticeable grin appeared on his face.

"That shouldn't be a problem, although I do have to say that teachers are the ones who select the books, and with the Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers being new every year I cannot make any guarantees as to which book future teachers will choose, Mr…."

"Trajan. Dio Trajan." The reference seemed lost on him, but his eyes did widen and his skin did lose some color when I mentioned my name. Good, maybe this will prevent him from attempting to cheat me. Better safe than sorry.

"I, I see. Well then Mr. Trajan, if you would wait here for some time I can gather the books you're looking for."

"That's fine. My partner and I will browse your shop while you look for those."

The old man nodded and pulled out a list, then began to summon books after consulting it.

" _Did you find anything interesting,"_ I asked Irene.

" _I found three books in fact, this one about the Fae of this world being the most interesting."_

I went over towards her to see the book, which had a picture of a female elf surrounded by faeries frolicking through the woods. I could tell this because, like every other picture I've seen in the wizarding world, the elf and fairies moving around the forest, and even the grass and trees were swaying in what had to be a gentle wind. All in all it seemed like the picturesque image ideally found in a children's story book, although the title of the book said otherwise.

" _Compendium of the Fae. What do you think Irene; is it worth it?"_

" _I'm not sure_ ," she said with a slight desperate tint to her tone, _"but we do need some information on the Fae of this world; I've searched and searched, but found no trace of any others of my kind anywhere."_ That had been an enormous source of frustration for the both of us; no matter which tracking or locating spell Irene or I cast, even one's fae in nature, yielded any results in locating any kind of Fae anywhere. Irene had begun to despair, taking it as a sign that Fae in this world were nonexistent, or worse, extinct.

" _Very well, then we'll get it and read it as soon as we get home."_ She smiled at that, and we began to scour the store for more books. We spent around half an hour in the store, and in the end the only other books we chose were the two Irene initially found; 'Customs of British society,' and 'Dueling decorum.' The former I suspect is limited to the wizarding sect of British society as I can't imagine many wizards to be interested in muggle society, and a brief glance through the book affirmed my theory. The book will be necessary to prepare against any breaches of etiquette, which I assume will be necessary for my inevitable excursions into Pureblood society. No need to alienate them over something trivial after all. The latter book is a collection of procedures and customs for a duel between wizards which, while not as common these days as they used to be, can still be challenged to resolve disputes.

"Excuse me Mr Trajan," the shopkeeper said as he stood next to a small mountain of books, "but the books that you asked for are ready."

"Ah thank you," I replied. "You won't mind if I inspect the books, would you?"

"No not at all sire, feel free to check them out. I may pride myself on the condition of the books that I sell, but you would be remiss not to inspect them yourself." I nodded and Irene and I did just that, and while it took some time to inspect each and every book, as there were over fifty books, we had a perfectly valid reason for it; any of these books could carry a curse with them, and I would rather not be caught by surprise. We both inserted a bit of magic into each book and thankfully detected nothing in each.

"The books are all in fine condition," I told the shopkeeper, "we'll buy them all. How much do they all cost." He took out a paper where he apparently tallied the total cost.

"That will be six Galleons, two Sickles, and fifteen Knuts," he replied. I tried not to let any of the shock I felt show on my face, and I noticed Irene attempting to do the same; is that really all that fifty books cost? That's barely a drop in the bucket compared to what I have in my bag, never mind the entirety of my vault. If everything is around this price range, then this will be a good shopping trip indeed.

I pulled out the money, paid the man, and then stuffed all fifty books into my bag. The shopkeeper thanked us profusely as he escorted us out, which doesn't surprise me; I doubt many people are buying books at this time of the year, let alone at the quantity that I am. I imagine the start of term for Hogwarts is the highlight of the year for many of these shops.

Irene and I continued to shop at the various stores, ignoring the stares of the populace along the way. It honestly began to get annoying; did these people have nothing better to do? I once again noted the lack of subtlety these people had; anyone would get annoyed at openly being stared at for a long period of time, yet every single person here does it.

Our first shop was Eeylops Owl Emporium, where we purchased a pitch black male owl. The shopkeeper there told us, repeatedly coughing to stop her from staring at me, that the owl is a breed from Australia, and the breed is not commonly bought in these isles. That was the only convincing I need to buy the owl, who I named Loivissa, along with owl food, treats, and a book with instructions on how to care for your owl. Purchasing an animal that could deliver letters is a necessity in the wizarding world, as animals take the place of all forms of couriers here. Until I could find a more exotic animal than an owl, Loi will have to do. The entire purchase barely cost us twenty Galleons, and by now Irene and I had begun to notice a pattern. Loi perched himself on my shoulder, and instead of attempting to attack or harass Irene he seemed almost subservient to her.

We skipped buying a broom or a wand, since we don't need brooms at the moment, and have our own plans for wands. We made a final stop at Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, where I planned on purchasing several tailor made robes. Those who complain about the stiffness of tuxedos and the suits are those who have never worn one before, much less a suit specifically tailored to their body size. I can honestly say it's one of the best feelings to have; being in clothes that make you look professional, elegant, and fit perfectly on your body, having worn many of them throughout my life. From what I've seen, robes are the commonly worn vestments worn by wizards here, and I refuse to wear one that doesn't fit me perfectly, the one I'm currently wearing notwithstanding.

Entering Madame Malkin's felt much like entering a muggle clothing store, or at least the store was arranged in a similar fashion. Mannequins dotted the store, showing odd the various Robes the store sells. Much like one would expect, there isn't a large selection of robes available; there are normal robes, dress robes, and a few robes that looked sturdier, which I assume are specially tailored for a profession. What did occupy the entire store are Robes in different materials, although what the materials are is lost on me. Some robes look and feel rough and heavy, as if made from wool, while others are light and silky, as if made from silk.

There are few customers in the store at this time, and the same could be said about customers throughout the entire district, which meant that it didn't take long for me to be noticed. A small and portly witch came up to me soon, and while she did stare at me, she is at least professional enough to see to my needs first.

"Greetings sir," she said, "and welcome to Madame Malkin's. I'm Madame Malkine, how may I help you today?"

"I wanted to purchase various robes today," I replied, "and I also wanted to see if I could leave an order for some specially made suits." Her eyes lit up at the prospect of making a large amount of money, and she practically manhandled me as she rushed me to a waiting room.

"Well why didn't you say so before dearie, of _course_ I can make whatever you're looking for; Madame Malkin's is the best shop around, no doubt about it. If you can't find it here, you can't find it anywhere. First of all, what material are you looking for?"

"What do you have available?" As we talked, Madame Malkin stood me in front of a large mirror and took out a measuring tape, which began to flit around my body and measure me. She took out a clipboard and jotted down the measurements read on the tape.

"Well we have Dragonhide which is a bit bulkier than some people prefer, but it is the preferred material for Auror's as it inherently magically resistant. We also have Acromantula silk, which is the lightest material around, and also one of the most highly sought after. Wearing it feels as if you're wearing air, and I've yet to know of anyone who is disappointed by it. We also have more standard cloaks from regular materials that, while not at the same level as cloaks made from the materials I just told you, they are also highly sought after."

"There's no need; would you happen to have a suit of Dragonhide or Acromantula silk that I could try on? If they are to my liking, I would like to buy ten of each." I could practically see her eyes transform into gold coins, and I swear a bit of drool escaped from her mouth.

"Of course I have a suit for you to try, let me return with one for you to try out." Madame Malkin ran off at a speed that would put the roadrunner to shame, and I had to once more endure the stares from the other workers and patrons in the store. Before it could bother me too much Madame Malkin returned with a suit in each hand and with a disturbing glint in her eyes and a slight blush to her cheeks.

"Here we are sir, one suit of Dragonhide, and one suit of Acromantula silk. If you will please follow me into the changing room, I'll help you change into each of the suits. Merely so I can get a better idea of your measurements, of course."

" _Did…did she really just suggest that,"_ Irene asked. " _To your face?"_

" _I'm pretty sure she did. I have to applaud her; she isn't shy by any means."_

" _You're going to go along with it aren't you?"_

" _Of course I am; I couldn't call myself a man if I didn't. Besides, I've been stared at like a slab of meat the entire day; it's time for some payback."_

" _That poor, poor woman. She has no idea what she's getting into. Try not to give her a heart attack Dio."_

In the end I did follow Madame Malkin into the dressing room, where I tried out each of the suits she brought with her. Her hands drifted into laces that they shouldn't on more than one occasion, for 'tailoring' purposes of course, although I certainly did nothing to discourage the woman. Both materials had its pros and cons, with Dragonhide being a better material to bring to a fight or a job, and with the Acromantula silk being the type worn to show off at a social gathering. I found out that the clothing didn't simply consist of a cloak worn over whatever clothing you choose, but it's rather more like a uniform, with the cloak serving as a covering over the rest of the clothing. Madame Malkin also informed me that I could also order a clasp to adjust how much of my body the cloak covered.

"So how much would the ten suits of each material cost me," I asked Madame Malkin at the counter.

'Well dearie, each dragonhide suit is twenty galleons, and each Acromantula silk suit is twenty five. All twenty suits will cost you four-hundred and fifty galleons in total." She seemed skeptical at the amount, and I imagine that not everyone would be able to pay this amount at once. Well, it's a good thing I'm not everyone.

"That amount won't be a problem. How soon can you have the suits ready?"

"I have to gather the materials and make each suit to your size, and I do have other projects that came ahead of you, so I'll say a month before all of your suits are ready."

"And what if I added an extra fifty galleons? How soon could you have the suits ready by then?" I couldn't suppress a smug grin at the look of shock on the woman's face when I said that, but it isn't as if I could wait an entire month for a few suits when I could convince the women to have them ready sooner. And who wouldn't want money that she could literally put in her pocket?

"Well," she said slowly, "If I rushed, I'm sure I could have your suits much sooner, since I would be remiss to allow such an outstanding citizen such as yourself to have to suffer waiting so long for the suits that you desperately need. Come back in a week and I could have five suits of each kind made, and I can have the other five made in another week. Does that sound good to you?"

I grinned and nodded, and took out the money necessary. Unlike in stories, I couldn't just pour out an amount of gold, or hand a sack over saying that it is the correct amount. No person worth their salt would accept someone telling them that at face value, as anyone could easily lie. I had to count out two hundred fifty galleons, half of the payment now and the other half when the suits are ready, which is a fate I wouldn't want to bestow on my worst enemy. At least I only had to count in sets of one hundred before Madame Malkin put the Galleons away, or else the gold coins would have flooded the counter. I left the shop with a 'receipt' stating the terms that we agreed on, and signed by both of us with a blood quill, which would ensure that neither of us renegaded on our deal without reason. I also showed Madame Malkin the design that I would like the suits to come in, and she agreed that it wouldn't be an issue. She seemed glad to have a new design instead of trudging through the same one again.

After we left the store, Irene and I looked through the rest of Diagon Alley, but failed to find anything that we needed at the moment, so we hailed the Knight Bus, which is the fastest form of travel in the wizarding world, sans apparition. It looks like a normal double decker bus, but that quickly changes when you step inside. Both floors have various beds and seats for the patrons to sit at, and cabinets filled with food and blankets for anyone to use. The attendant there, Stan Shunpike gleefully welcomed me and once again waved me fee for riding the bus, stating that it was an honor to have me here. At least he kept my identity from the other patrons in the bus quiet when I asked him to. I almost felt bad for using my name like this, but that quickly disappeared once the bus began to move. The bus shot off with a band, destabilizing the other passengers and sending some to the floor, and it would have done the same to be if I hadn't affixed myself to my seat and Irene to my head with a full body sticking charm. Why no one else ever thought of that I will never know. While the mph meter on the bus never moved above or below sixty no matter which speed, or lack thereof, the bus moved, it has to go near one hundred, since I don't remember ever moving this fast inside of a car. Vehicles, buildings, and everything else seemed to split apart to accommodate the bus in an impressive display of space distortion magic. Yet another subject to brush up on.

I asked the conductor, a man named Ernie that I'm sure has more than a few screws loose, to let me off a few miles away from where I lived. The house is located within a forest, and finding my bearings within it became an extreme pain in the ass. Eventually I decided to simply make my own landmarks, and uprooted dozens of trees for miles around. I used flash step to follow the markers I littered throughout the forest and reached my house. Said building looked normal enough; a two story house made of wood, with smoke coming out of a chimney. I used a charm to disperse the smoke about a foot above the chimney, so no one could see it from afar and track it to us. I also had to layer spells inside the chimney so the fire wouldn't harm the wood, which was more difficult than it sounds. I walked up to the doorway and felt my wards, limited though they may be, identify Irene and I and go into standby mode. I only had three wards, an identity ward, an alarm ward, and a one way see through ward on each of the walls in the house, as I hadn't yet had the time to set up any more since a ward requires a lot of time to set up. You couldn't simply wave a wand and create one; rather it's more like mini ritual in the sense that most wards require specific of an individual to identify them, and subsequently not act against them.

I opened one of the two locks in the door with a key from my pocket, and poured mana into the door itself to unlock the magical lock it carried. I stepped inside and hung the cloak I wore on a stand near the door, and Irene immediately flew off to do something. Before I could move any deeper into the house however, Ellamine, my house elf, popped in front of me.

"Ah, welcome back Master Dio. Is there anything I can get for you?" The English lessons had done wonders for Ellamine; she could speak like a normal person now, although she did revert back to her previous manner of speech when she lost her temper, or something went out of control. I found that out when I accidentally set fire to half of the house in one of my experiments.

"Not at the moment Ella. Did anything happen while I was gone?"

"Something did happen Master; a letter arrived for you from a Mr. Luscious Malfoy."

I felt my blood freeze at that; while I don't know any Luscious Malfoys, I do know of a Lucius Malfoy. And that worried me; either Lucius managed to locate me, break through my wards and leave a note without alerting anyone, or rover somehow helped him locate me. Neither prospect looks good, since Rover has a tendency of getting me into sticky situations for laughs.

"Bring me the letter Ellamine. Do you know when it arrived?"

"No Master, but I did notice it on your desk about two hours after you and Lady Irene left."

That confirms that Rover had something to do with this, since he usually prefers to wait until I'm far from him to start his plans so I don't ruin them in a way. Ella snapped her fingers and apparated away, and quickly returned with a letter in her hand. I took the letter and opened it after a cursory check for curses, which yielded no results. I'm not sure if I should feel relieved or not that Lucius doesn't want me dead. The letter was written by hand on thick and expensive paper, which is to be expected from Lucius.

 **Dear Lord Trajan,**

 **Allow me to be the first to welcome you to Great Britain, and I can't express how overjoyed I am that someone from such an esteemed House has deigned to come here. If you would be so inclined, I propose that you and I meet to discuss future and current events. It wouldn't do for someone from your family to fall in with the wrong crowd after all. I have I closed directions to one of my houses within, and I request that you send prior notice to your arrival if you decide to come.**

 **Lucius Malfoy, Scion of the House of Malfoy.**

As he said, enclosed in the envelope were directions to get to Malfoy Manor, and I immediately wrote a reply and sent it along with Loi. Its times like these that I hate my parent's strict upbringing just a little less.

"Did Ella give you the letter that arrived," Theresa asked as she walked into the living room.

"Yes she did. A very powerful man wants to play a mind game, and he is about to find out just how low on the totem pole he really is."


	11. Chapter 11

**Authors note:**

 **Thanks for all of the support so far all of you, I really appreciate it.**

 **I will try not to go too far with Dio's bad luck; it will be more along the lines of something going wrong whenever it can, instead of him almost dyeing at every corner. He won't always have bad luck however; I will have things go his way many times as well. Depends on the situation, and what I think up first really.**

 **And I agree that the monetary system Rowling set up was whack. But it was never a focus, and it was a series aimed at children, so it wasn't very important. It simply gives me free reign. Because I never managed to find out what broomsticks cost in the series, I'm going with the Firebolt (the broom widely recognized as 'the best') costing one thousand galleons. I've also got plans for the economy that will be mentioned, but I won't focus on it too much as it isn't very important.**

 **Yes, Dio (and family) can be considered rich in this series. The reason that Rover did this is because Dio came from a rich family in his original universe, which I believe I mentioned once, so I will be delving into high society parties and things of that nature. Dio will not enjoy them, but he will know how to act. At the same time, the Trajan's could be considered akin to celebrities, and that will be reflected in how other will treat Dio and Theresa. It can also be seen in how Dio will act; he was raised with the best, and simply because he forwent having Luxuries during his time in Albion doesn't mean he will do the same here, especially when he has money to burn.**

 **This is about a guest review over Dio not learning any form of earth magic. I agree that earth magic has many uses, and I also believe it's the most powerful natural element of all. So I avoid it for a few reasons. One, earth magic can make characters OP, which I want to avoid for now. Two, I believe that earth magic takes the longest time to become proficient in, years in my opinion, which is out of character for Dio as he prefers to be a jack of all trades than a master in any one area. And lastly, there is no precedent for earth magic in either Fable or HP, and I would rather not pull too many things out of a hat yet. He will learn earth magic eventually, but there are simply far more interesting things for him to learn, especially now that he is in the HP world.**

 **Now that it's almost time for Canon to start, I will be more specific with time, such as the month and at times the day of the week. I've purposefully been vague with that up to now.**

 **I will be doing P.O.V.s for many different characters in this story. Lucius is the first, and I'm already coming up with ideas for ones featuring Theresa and Dumbledore. Feel free to request a P.O.V for certain characters, and I will usually mention how each character perceives Dio.**

 **No, I don't enjoy using actual numbers in my story, and I prefer to use their word forms instead. I feel that using numbers breaks the immersion while reading. Just one of my quirks. I will use actual numbers if the situation requires it.**

 **I also want to say that Theresa having her eyes cut out was part of the original story in the Fable game series. It's one of the few things I'll be keeping the same from that universe.**

 **Please let me know what you think of this chapter, and please leave a review while you're passing by. I apologize for the length of this AN, I'm trying to answer as many concerns as I can. I'll try to make them shorter.**

 **I do have one question for you all that I would like you to answer. Does Dio come off as a good guy, a bad guy, or in between? I just want to know if I'm portraying him how I want to. Ash out.**

"Speech"= A normal conversation

"Speech"= Thoughts, telepathy.

"{Speech}" = Parseltongue

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or Fable; they belong to JK Rowling and Lionhead Studios respectively. I only own Dio, and I make no money off of this story.

 **Lucius Malfoy P.O.V.**

-Skip-Clip-Rip-Dip-

" _That man is confusing,"_ thought Lucius Malfoy as he watched the enigma known as Dio Trajan enter the Knight Bus outside of his manor.

Like every other politically savvy person, Lucius had indeed heard tales of the Trajan's. From their highlights as kings and conquerors, to the rumors of their machinations behind shadows. The Trajan's were always a family that the rest of the world kept their eyes on, out of fear and admiration. Wandless magic has always been rare, but every child from the Trajan bloodline became proficient in wandless magic. That doesn't mean that every child born to a Trajan was always proficient, as they could have quietly and easily disposed of any who weren't. Equally terrifying was the proficiency the Trajan's manipulated others with; as descendants of kings, more than once kings themselves, the Trajan's lived and breathed politics. A Trajan could always be found whenever monumental events transpired, even when they went under different names; from the French revolution, to the settlement of the colonies in America, the Trajan's always managed to gain a foothold where it mattered. There hadn't been a Trajan in eons that couldn't wreak havoc with a single hand; whether from decimating a battlefield by manipulating lightning, or by ordering entire cities and territories sacked with a single order.

That is exactly why, when Lucius discovered that Dio Trajan Immigrated to the British Isles, he immediately attempted to discover where he was and, if possible, set up an alliance between both of their houses. Lucius knew that the Trajan's were notorious for two things; steadfastly protecting their allies, and decimating their enemies. Trajan's were always slow to anger, but quick to act. Similar to the sea, but you always knew what a Trajan thought about you.

It took Lucius a lot of time and money to discover where Dio Trajan lived at. The Goblins were no help; while they held no love for the Trajan's or seemingly any human, so naturally the filthy beasts refused to help him at all.

Lucius then turned to what he did best; bribing and threatening anyone he could to find what he needed. A well placed sack of Galleons to the Minister of Magic gave him free reign to search through the Immigration papers, which would have Dio's information. However, all that the record told Lucius was that Dio did all of his business by owl and even the Minister had yet to meet him. The Minister, spineless coward that he is, could have forced the Trajan head of house to go to the ministry to file his information, yet he didn't. Not that Lucius could really hold that against the man; the Minister had always been a coward, and he would never have caused an issue with someone from a powerful family like the Trajan's. It was that very characteristic that Lucius used to manipulate the man into becoming his puppet, so he really shouldn't have been surprised that someone else would take advantage of Fudge.

The only other information on Dio's file was the name of a moving company he used to transfer his personal belongings from the Americas to Britain. It wasn't much, but it was more than Lucius started off with that day.

Of course, it couldn't be that simple; Lucius then discovered, through some more threats and bribes, that Dio had tasked the movers with leaving his belongings in the middle of the woods – with some wards to prevent animals and the weather from harming the items of course- and he would pick them up at a later date. While it wasn't much to go on, Lucius had managed to make do with far less information before.

He did know of the Forest the company talked about; it was a small unnamed forest in the middle of nowhere. It was miles from any semblance of civilization, although that mattered little to a wizard. Lucius ordered four of his five house elves to scour the woods, with instructions to notify him of everything they saw and also not to make contact with anyone they saw.

A week went by without any news from his elves, even when he tortured them for motivation. He began to suspect that Dio used the woods as a distraction instead of residing within them, not that Lucius could fault him for that, and began to scour the Ministry for more leads. It was during the second week, just before Lucius was going to order his house elves to stop searching the woods, and punish them for not finding anything and wasting his time, that one of his elves, a particularly pathetic and simpering one named Dobby, informed him that he saw a young girl, possibly around ten years of age who had auburn hair and wore cloth around her eyes. Lucius crucio'ed the wretched creature for not informing him sooner, and then began to form plans; he knew that the youngest Trajan, a girl named Theresa, had auburn hair, although he had no clue why she would be blindfolded. He dismissed the notion that the girl being in those woods was a simple coincidence since, when magic is involved, coincidences are rarely coincidence.

Lucius told his house elves to stop searching the woods and began searching it himself, not trusting anyone else not to fuck this up. He disillusioned himself with a spell and removed any noise and smell with another, which would allow him to search the woods without being detected by anyone except for one trained to search for subtle magical traces. He knew that Dio was an accomplished Hit Wizard years ago, but Lucius bet on his skills either having degraded, or on Dio not being proficient in that particular skill. It took Lucius two days of casting searching spells over the forest, but he managed to locate the area that he believed the Trajan's currently lived at; a clearing in the forest that no searching spell could penetrate. The wards could not exactly be called sloppy since Lucius was trained to search for warded houses during his time under the Dark Lords rule, so as such locating and circumventing the wards to the Trajan house wasn't difficult in the slightest to him. Yet he could tell that they weren't professionally done, since basic wards such as an insect-repelling ward were missing. It helped that Lucius could only detect three wards over the whole property. Instead of breaking through the wards, as that would alert the inhabitants inside of his presence and he did not want to risk a fight breaking out, Lucius teared a small opening in the wards that would allow him to send something in; in this case it was a letter he drafted a few evenings ago, inviting the Trajan head of house to a meeting.

Lucius expected a reply within a week or so, which would allow him to properly conceal the illegal Magical objects in his house, but to his dismay he received a reply by the days end, asking if they could meet the next evening. Lucius could not say no without appearing rude, as he was the one who proffered the invitation, so he rushed to conceal the objects in his house. Behind bookcases, in the basement, the attic, and even beneath floorboards, Lucius hid everything he found wherever he could. He ordered his house elves to clean the house from top to bottom, even if they regularly ensured it was spotless. He also ordered them to create a feast with everything and anything they could find in the house and, almost as an afterthought, informed his wife not to torture the elves for the remainder of that day and the day after. It would be unseemly and degrading if his house elves performed anything less than perfection whilst a visitor was at his home, never mind one as important as Dio Trajan.

Lucius spent the rest of his time ensuring that everything would be perfect for the upcoming visit, all the while resisting the urge to split his house elves from head to toe, their high pitched voices grating his ears. Lucius did manage to follow his own orders, for the most part at least; he only kicked his useless house elves down the steps a total of three times, which was undoubtedly a new record for him.

Finally Thursday evening arrived, and Lucius forcibly calmed himself; any show of weakness here could undermine many of his plans, some of which the Dark Lord himself gave to Lucius. He ordered the house elves to keep watch for arriving guests, as he wasn't sure if Dio would arrive alone.

When the Trajan Patriarch did arrive, Lucius instructed Dobby to fetch him and take him to the parlor. He also told Dobby to inform Dio that Lucius would see him in a moment, as he was currently busy. A common psychological attack, meant to impose a sense of superiority on Lucius as he would dictate when their meeting started.

Lucius waited half an hour before meeting Dio at the parlor, but before he entered Lucius spotted his wife, Narcissa, staring inside the room with a look that would not be out of place on a schoolgirl staring at her crush. Needless to say, that was not a look Lucius had ever seen on her. His marriage with Narcissa was one of convenience, a chance to unite the Houses of Malfoy and Black. Narcissa was never the kind and doting wife that Lucius wanted, instead being a powerful and outspoken women, much like her other two sisters. She was certainly more intelligent and powerful than Lucius himself, being two years his senior, not that he would ever admit that aloud. She was also exceedingly beautiful; much like her own namesake, and often times she used her beauty to get what she wanted. It was because of this that Lucius was greatly confused at seeing such a look on her face, it being completely out of character for her.

Lucius and Narcissa were first introduced to each other when they were children, years before they attended Hogwarts. In their first meeting they were informed that they were betrothed to the other, and their relationship began there. They became friends over the years, and eventually married once Lucius graduated from Hogwarts, Narcissa having graduated two years prior. While their marriage was never happy, neither of them hated each other, both understanding that this was something that simply needed to happen. They both supported the other, especially so during the height of the Dark Lords rule, when he became increasingly cruel to his servants. Over the years they each became friends, and they worked together to lift the Malfoy Family name to where it was today. It was a shame they could do nothing to help the fall of the Noble and Ancient House of Black, which became ruined with the death of Regulus and the imprisonment of Sirius.

The one highlight of their marriage was the birth of their beloved Draco, and yet that also presented the largest strain in their marriage; Lucius could no longer the charade he kept for the better part of a decade. For years he struggled with the shame of being attracted to other males, and he hid that facet of himself out of fear of persecution. Homosexuality was never accepted in the wizarding world, out of the fear that they would not produce heirs. It eventually became a stigma, for both males and females, which everyone did their best to hide and ignore. As the Heir to House Malfoy, Lucius at all times had to appear as the prime example of what a Pureblood Wizard must be.

Despite that Lucius could no longer keep up the charade between Narcissa and him. The night they returned back to Manor Malfoy after the birth of Draco, Lucius informed Narcissa of his sexual leanings. He expected her to be mad, to spew accusations and even attack him. What he didn't expect was for her to say that she had guessed as much years ago, and that, while she wasn't happy about it, she wouldn't make a big deal about it. Exposing Lucius would destroy the Malfoy family, which would also destroy her. They were stuck together, and had to make do, like they always had. That night was the last time either of them ever mentioned Lucius' 'issue,' and they both turned a blind eye whenever the other brought a partner to bed.

Narcissa had been a proud woman for as long as Lucius knew her, so he was aptly surprised to see such a look on her face. He approached her to ask what was wrong, but as he neared the parlor he got a good look at who was inside at the moment, and he was floored.

The first thing Lucius noticed was the silver hair, which reached past it's owners shoulders much like Lucius' own. The hair brought attention to the owner's face, whose beauty made Lucius' blood boil. High cheekbones, pale skin, and Ruby red lips adorned his face. And yet, the look in his eyes made Lucius' blood run cold; they gleamed with mirth, as if everyone played a game only he knew the rules to. It was the same look Lucius saw in the eyes of the Dark Lord, of Albus Dumbledore, and every time he looked in a mirror. He bit back a curse at the knowledge that his plans became much harder with a new player to the board, even if he expected as much.

Lucius took a second look at Dio, idly noticing Narcissa head off in the direction of the bedrooms. The Trajan Patriarch wore robes that gleamed as they moved, denoting them to be made out of Acromantula silk, befitting of one from a family like his. However, instead of covering his body with the robe as was the custom here, Dio had chosen to cover only the left side of his body, exposing the right side, which was oddly dressed. Most wizards dressed in all black, yet Dio had on a white shirt, which drew attention to his well-defined body, as most wizards aren't physically inclined.

Lucius then noticed what was occupying Dio's attention, and nearly had a heart attack; Dio was writing in a small leather bound book, much like the one the dark lord entrusted to him years ago. He scrambled to take the book back from Dio, who returned it without an issue, and noticed that none of the pages showed any sign of writing. Dio's excuse of the book 'calling' to him sounded like bullshit, but Lucius decided not to call him out on it; Lucius had no idea how the Dark Lords book worked, so Dio may have been telling the truth. And Lucius had no desire to antagonize someone who had already found one of Lucius hidden items in the half hour he spent in his house. Under constant watch. He and his house elves needed to have a small conversation.

The rest of their time was spent in idle conversation. Lucius asked about the reasons behind Dio's immigration here, how long he planned to stay in Britain, and then endeavored to teach him about how society here worked. Lucius found Dio to be both charismatic and charming, but those were both traits anyone could train in. No, what garnered Lucius' surprise was how stable Dio seemed to be. The Dark Lord may have been a genius but he was deranged, anyone could see that. Madness slowly gripped him as the years passed, and he became increasingly paranoid, causing him to lose his temper more often. Albus on the other hand, was the opposite. He always made you feel as if you were a small child with your hand caught in the cookie jar, which always managed to infuriate Lucius.

Instead, Dio seemed as normal as any other person Lucius would find in the street. There was no fire in his eyes, seemingly no drive to spur him on. Either he had accomplished all he wanted in his life, or he simply had no goal.

Regardless, Lucius eventually got to the crux of the matter; a partnership between both of their houses. The Trajans have no seat in the Wizengamot, but their word still carries much weight behind them due to their ancient bloodline. If Dio was seen openly supporting any decision that Lucius wanted to pass along, it would make things much easier for Lucius. And with the backing of the Malfoy's, Dio would have the political clout to move around without issue.

Dio agreed to their partnership, with his only stipulation being that he reserved the right not to support Lucius with any political bills that he disagreed with. It was a sensible thing to ask for, and Lucius agreed without any hesitation. Not much of note went on in their meeting, as neither asked about the others families or of each other. Well, not besides the obligatory pleasantries required in a meeting.

Lucius personally escorted Dio out of his house after their meeting was over, determined not to allow him to find anything else hidden in the house. He noted that instead of apparating away, Dio called on the knight bus of all things for transportation. Why he did that was beyond him, as the knight bus was well known for being extremely uncomfortable to say the least. Most influential families wouldn't be caught dead riding the trash heap.

After watching Dio leave Lucius set off to find and discipline his house elves, since they failed to ensure his belongings didn't stay hidden. He passed by his wife's bedrooms to check on how she was doing, and raised an eyebrow at what he saw inside. If the clothes scattered in every direction and the loud moans weren't enough indication as to what she was doing, the sight of her with her back arched and her hands between her legs on the bed was clear enough. Lucius closed the door, wanting to give her a sense of privacy. Masturbation was a common act with both of them, as they stopped sleeping together years ago, and finding suitable bed partners wasn't always easy. Although he thought, Dio wasn't married. A partnership between their houses would be much stronger with the inclusion of a relationship between Dio and Narcissa. He doubted his wife would object to that, if the actions inside her room were any indication. Now the only thing needed was how to suggest it to Dio.

 **Dio's P.O.V.**

-Skip-Clip-Rip-Dip-

The meeting with Lucius had gone exactly as I expected; Lucius would never pass up a chance to garner more power, and the support of the Trajan house would boost his already large power base immensely. While my family lacks a seat in the Wizengamot, they are old blood, which can be considered to be the most important quality to have in the British Wizarding world. Our reputation of peerlessly wielding wandless magic has always brought unwanted attention on us, and here it will be no different. I have no doubt that the other Lords and Ladies of the Wizengamot will descend on Theresa and I like a swarm of vipers, and I'll have to do everything I can to ensure they're unable to take advantage of us.

The next few months passed in a feverish haze. I threw myself into my studies, intent of mastering as many skills as I could. I forewent learning the Ghost Sword spell, not trusting a weapon that acted outside of my control. The risk of it rebelling, or someone 'hacking' my spell and turning it against me, would always be present. Instead, I focused on forming different weapons out of ice, although I did experiment with the other elements, and used my telekinesis to direct them. My control was, without a shadow of a doubt, abysmal. I could not control more than two weapons, and even controlling two was inefficient, as I could not maintain a constant focus on both weapons. The tiniest distraction would disrupt my concentration, causing my spells to fail. I started off with a single weapon at first, which yielded results quickly. I could not wield a blade with any sort of skill like this, but I could easily fend off most opponents for s few seconds, granting me enough time to dispatch them another way. And yet by the end of the first week I began practicing with two weapons, my blood boiling with dissatisfaction at my slow rate of growth.

And yet I stubbornly persisted in training that skill, determined to master it. It not only provided me yet another form of combat, it also accustomed me to divide my attention, which would be an invaluable tool in a fight with multiple opponents. My magic sight, the form of seeing through magic Theresa and I both used, granted me a three hundred and sixty degree line of sight, so I could attack an opponent without having to face them. I didn't limit myself to only weapons of course. I could easily manipulate a bolt of lightning or a blade of wind, but that isn't where the true brilliance of this form lied. I could not truly miss an attack, since I could always redirect it to curve back and hit my target. I could, theoretically at least, combine elements when attacking. I could soak an area in water then conduct electricity through it, or start a fire and feed it with wind. While I could already do those things, I could now do it at a further distance than before, or even from behind cover. I'm no longer limited to what I could see with the naked eye, an advantage most of my foes will lack. Nor would I have to expose myself to danger when fighting, since I could conjure a wall of ice, transfigure it into a tougher material, and then fight from behind it.

Besides that fighting form, I also focused on the magic styles of the Wizarding world. Transfiguration became a godsend, once I managed to ignore the 'logistics' behind it at least. I could easily conjure structures from ice, and then transfigure them into whatever material I require. While I can only make basic Transfigurations permanent, my current transfigurations last for an average of an hour. I avoided dabbling in conjuration, as that Branch of magic carried its own rules and is almost needlessly complicated, with the books all requiring complicated wand movements and a large amount of time that would not be present in a fight.

Charms on the other hand, became my second favorite branch. The branch is exceedingly similar to enchanting; any item could be enchanted to take on additional properties. I charmed the doors of the house to automatically open whenever someone stood in front of them, much like the doors that can be found in a store. An item could also be given a command, although most items could only hold one, and then require a new one to be 'installed.' Dishes could clean themselves, and clothes could fold and pack themselves. In combat I could create a large hammer and command it to chase a target, attacking it whenever it got in range. A bow could be charmed to shoot automatically, provided enough ammunition was present.

None of this was useful in a real fight yet, as an experienced opponent could deal with my weapons before they get close enough to attack. Theresa on the other hand, did not fit that description. She was the perfect test subject for me to practice this ability on. This was for her benefit as much of mine of course, since she would get experience dodging and blocking attacks. We both wielded wooded swords I whittled from branches from the surrounding trees, and practiced using those. Once Theresa became accustomed to the weight of a weapon she quickly learned how to fight with one.

It actually surprised me, and frightened me a little, at how dedicated she became to training. When we first started I had her swing a sword until she could swing it for a while without her arms hurting. For the next two weeks she would wake up and, go to the backyard, and begin swinging. By noon she became a quivering mess on the floor, too tired to even get up. Then she would spend the rest of the day sleeping to recover her energy. Then she would do the same thing the same day. I had to tell her to rest more often than not to prevent her from causing any actual harm to her muscles.

Our actual training was nothing more than the two of us flailing at each other, and failing most of the time. My control over the weapons was still amateurish at best, and using them would probably get me killed before helping me. And Theresa lacked the muscle mass to properly stop a sword mid swing, so most of her attacks missed. After we finished us would both run around the forest, both to stay in shape and to patrol the woods. Luckily enough no wolves roamed these woods, although we did find a bear once. A large ice spear propelled from afar dealt with it easily enough, and we proceeded to skin and butcher it. I learned that Theresa had prior experiencing butchering animals, having been taught by her mother in her village. It was the first time that she voluntarily mentioned her village, and I watched to see her reaction. She smiled when she talked about her family, and it was the first carefree smile I had ever seen on her face. She was always so careful, so guarded around me, and at times I wondered if she was afraid of me. She never acted like she was, yet she always acted distant. It was for that reason that I was surprised when she hugged me after she began to cry near the end of her tale. I was at a loss for what to do, never having dealt with a crying woman before, so I settled for patting her on the back.

I expected us to become closer after that, yet she acted the same as always. She never disobeyed me and was always nice, sometimes exceedingly so. Yet she never made a joke, and avoided asking me personal questions. I would have thought she disliked me and was only around because she had no other choice if it wasn't that she spent as much time as she could around me. If I didn't expressly ask her to leave, for whatever reason, she would stay around me. I attributed it all as being a coping mechanism of hers, so I dealt with it. The only thing that annoyed me about Theresa was her lack of manners.

A country bumpkin would be the best comparison for Theresa, a fact I often forgot because of the girl's intelligence. Having lived in a backwater village all her life Theresa was never taught how to act in high society, and her manners would be barely passable around normal people, let alone nobles. Her table manners left much to be desired, although she did give an honest effort in trying to fix them. I'm not sure how much of our current situation she understood, but I did explain the basics to her. She took the knowledge of a parallel universe well enough, and while she did panic a bit at first the knowledge that we could return to her home universe did placate her. I'm not sure how she took the knowledge that we are now siblings, since all she gave me was a nod when I told her. But the knowledge that we were now basically nobles seemed to fill her with a sense of dread.

That didn't surprise me really; I heard stories of nobles during my time in Albion, and none of the stories were good. The nobles in Albion treated the common folk as trash at best, and as animals at worst. Every few weeks a new rumor would arise about some noble abducting someone who struck their fancy, with those people never being seen again. It's a small wonder that Theresa would be afraid of people like them, even I'm afraid. Nobles are like a plague that constantly hovers around us, seeking to exploit the tiniest crack in our defenses. It's the reason I Irene constantly drill the "family" history into both Theresa and I, to make sure we don't say anything stupid. It greatly helped that our ancestors were meticulous note takers; otherwise the whole ordeal would have been much more difficult.

Potions was a subject that I did not focus on much. I made sure that I could brew standard potions, but since most could be bought from the Apothecary in Diagon alley I did not bother brewing often. I quickly learned that following the rules in potions could only take you so far; the truly useful potions such as Felix Felicis required both a natural talent at potions, along with years of practice in the subject.

The only two spells I dedicated myself to learning were the Patronus charm, and Apparation. Disappointingly enough I was only successful in learning how to apparate. The small notebook I retrieved from the Trajan vault was what taught me how to apparate. Apparently the turning on your heel is not necessary; it's simply a trigger to activate the magic, much like a wand movement. The process was much simpler than the books made it sound; all that is necessary is to cocoon your body with mana, visualize the location you want to arrive at, and then imagine yourself traveling there. The last part is the most difficult, since it will be unique to everyone and can't really be explained. I imagined the process as traveling through a wormhole, or at least what social media had described it as being. I managed to apparate on my third day trying, and I proceeded to slam into a tree because I was left unbalanced after I landed. The process was extremely uncomfortable, since the space around me went pitch black and pressed down as if it was attempting to crush me. For a complete second I could not move, breathe, or see, which is a far more terrifying experience than it sounds like. But before I could panic the pressure vanished and my senses were restored, along with the pain of tripping and slamming my face into the nearest tree.

It took me two more tries to replicate the process, but once I became accustomed to it I could apparate wherever I wished. I limited myself to the surrounding forest as I didn't want to risk being seen. Through continued use I discovered that Apparation was far more comfortable than the teleportation the Heroes Guild used, since it lasted less time and did not leave me disoriented. I was confused at how many people complained about the difficulty and annoyance of Apparation, since this experience isn't that bad. Maybe everyone else was doing it wrong?

The Patronus charm however, I still have had no luck in casting. The spell was fairly simple to cast; simple imagine your happiest memory and say the incantation, 'expecto patronum.' Yet despite the inherent simplicity of the spell it would not work for me. I went through every happy memory I had, from the time I lost my virginity to the first sincere compliment I received from my parents when they complimented me for graduating college. Yet none of these memories worked, which worried me as I had no desire to be at the mercy of a Dementor. I began to wonder if instead of a happy memory, all that the spell required was the intent and emotion behind it. I began to fabricate a memory to try out my theory, using the instance when my dream became a reality.

Occlumency was also a branch of magic I needed to learn, but I simply did not have the luxury to learn it. I found many notes in my ancestor's journals about Occumlency and other mind related arts such as thought partitioning, but every branch required both a large amount of time to learn and would require me to disregard other branches of magic I'm currently studying. Between my experiments with Transfiguration and Charms, learning my family history, creating plans to deal with the Wizengamot and others in power in Britain, training with Theresa, and my training controlling my telekinesis, I simply did not have the luxury to learn a time consuming task like Occlumency, no matter how useful it is.

It took three months for me to be satisfied enough at where I was in all of my experiments to drop them for a few days and take Theresa to Diagon Alley. Before the five of us subsisted on the meat that we hunted from the forest, which was fairly easy for me to get due to my magic sight and telekinesis, and with the same vegetables I brought from my farm back in Albion that I planted near the house. While I had made a few other trips to Diagon Alley with Irene, mostly to find new research material, I had yet to take Theresa there, nor really take a look around. She was apprehensive about going, but curiosity about a whole new world eventually got the better of her.

The trip to Diagon Alley was certainly eventful. The sheer amount of magic in Diagon Alley gave Theresa a headache, because she had to use her magic sight throughout the entire trip to see, which lasted half of the trip until she got used to it. For the first time since I met Theresa I got the chance to see her act like a normal girl her age. She was excited and filled with energy, and we visited every single shop in order, with Theresa asking questions about everything they sold along the way. The entire trip actually took us two days, since we simply could not visit every single shop in a single day. Theresa's two favorite shops were Madame Malkin's and Florean Fortescue's Ice cream Parlor. Like every girl her age, Theresa was delighted with the wide diversity of clothing in Madame Malkin's, and we bought her a large selection of robes, dresses, and other female unmentionables. And having never tasted ice cream before, since it was never invented in Albion, Theresa quickly decided Florean's shop was her favorite. She also experienced a brain freeze for the first time but continued eating ice cream as if her life depended on it, which Florean, the owner of the shop, decided was a personal challenge to see if he could produce more ice cream than she could eat. Theresa once again shocked everyone watching, and by now we had once again drawn a crowd, at how much food she could eat.

The only two shops I avoided taking Theresa to were Gringotts and Ollivanders. The former I still could not take her to as we still had not performed the blood adoption ceremony, since I still was unsure if I had enough of her blood. The ceremony to summon the sword of Aeons required the death of a descendant of William Black, and I'm hoping that with more blood than a person can carry in their body at once I will be able to bypass that requirement. Ollivanders I avoided going to since I had plans for a different wand caster and I also wanted to wait until Theresa was enrolled into Hogwarts before I took her there. I still had not spoken to her about attending Hogwarts since there were things that needed to happen so I could also attend with her. I would be a fool not to be at Hogwarts, since all of the momentous events always seemed to happen there.

I took the opportunity to buy some more supplies during our trip to Diagon Alley, since I did not know when I would have the opportunity to return. I also made sure to buy a broomstick, a Cleansweep 7, to get used to them before I had to ride one in front of others. The two of us drew a large amount of attention during our two day trip, Theresa for her blindfold and I for my physical features, and the daily prophet two days later successfully identified us as Dio and Theresa Trajan. While I had no clue how they managed to find out who we were, it made everything much more difficult since we would now be harassed now that people had a face to go with our name. I began to patrol the woods periodically in case we were ever followed, but apparently my rampant paranoia paid off since I never discovered anyone. However I knew that would not last, so I secluded myself once more until the next time I saw Rover.

It was two more months before Rover decided to visit us, and I feared I had already missed my chance since it was already Thursday on the second week of June. I asked Rover to tell mw the exact date and time that this year's event would happen, and he assured me I still had an entire week to plan, since it would happen next Saturday. He also informed me that, by having told me that information, the scales had been tipped and he would have to take action to fix that. I expected as much, so I simply nodded and began to prepare. I refused to tell Rover what I had planned, simply telling him to wait and see. He pouted and tried to convince me but I refused to tell him, and not simply for the fact that my plan still wasn't complete; it was also revenge for all of the times he annoyed me. The next eight days passed in a flash, and almost panicked when Friday night came since I still wasn't sure how today would play out. I guess I would just have to wing it.

-Skip-Clip-Rip-Dip-

I told Irene, Theresa and Ellamine that I would not return for an entire day, but if I was not back by noon on Sunday to assume I was in jail. I did tell Irene where I was going and what I was looking for, and she agreed that finding this item was worth the risk. She stayed behind to take care of Theresa, who I could tell was not happy that I wouldn't tell her where I was going. Ellamine on the other hand had full confidence that I would succeed, and even asked me what I would like to eat when I returned. My house elves confidence reassured me a little, and I began to think that maybe I could pull this off.

I packed some supplies into my backpack, mostly a day's worth of food and a change of clothes. The only other supplies I packed was a steel knife into my boot, a jar of paint, a small music box, handcuffs, and an invisibility cloak I purchased at Borgins and Burkes, since any other weapons or water I could always create. I brought along two different wands in case I was caught, since using magic without one would be a dead giveaway to who I was. I cut my hair short and used magic to dye it and my eyes black, as further precaution to remain anonymous. While I hated having to do this, I knew I could easily reverse the changes and grow my hair back. A full black body suit along with a mask would –hopefully- prevent anyone from identifying me. Satisfied, I apparated away.

I appeared inside a stone circle between two buildings, thankfully unseen as there were no other residents in sight. I extended my magic in all direction s to see if there was anyone hiding, but only discovered a few rats and other small animals. I crouched and covered myself with the invisibility cloak, since I was too tall for it to cover me completely while standing, and set off.

Hogsmeade was a quaint little village, full of cottages and shops. Walking through the village felt much like walking through Bowerstone again, only with far less people and lacking the smell of shit and piss. I could only spot a few villagers outside of their homes and shops at this time, since most are sleeping at midnight. If I was lucky my target would not be sleeping, or else getting to him would become much harder. A silencing charm prevented any sounds within a foot of me to be heard, although I still had to be careful not to leave tracks or other traces where I went.

Finding his shop was not difficult; the giant hog head on display announced its presence throughout the village. I walked up to the pub and waited near the door, close enough where I would be able to enter the pub as long as someone opened the door to it. After ten minutes passed with no one entering or leaving the store, I lost what little patience I had, which was already frayed by nerves, and decided to cause a scene.

I waited until the next passerby entered my sights range, which by now is roughly one hundred and eighty feet in every direction, before acting. It's times like these where I'm truly grateful that I can manifest most of my magic within my range, since 'sight' is all that is really needed.

"Imperio." The poor passerby, who turned out to be a middle aged wizard, was not expecting my spell, and thus had to way to fight against it. I experimented with two of the 'unforgivable curses' extensively in the forest, and discovered quite a bit about them. The imperious curse for example, worked much better when the subject had no clue it would be used against them. It's hard to fight back against a curse that influences your thoughts if you don't know that it is happening. The diary from one of my ancestors, an Egyptian witch named Nenet, went into extensive detail on the Imperius curse. She described the curse as imbuing the target under a dense fog, and then layering a command over the fog that superseded all thoughts. The target would be more than a mindless slave, since they would be capable of acting normally as long as any actions taken did not go against their prime directive, which would be decided by the castor.

An unknowing target would rarely offer any form of resistance, since they would believe the invasive thought to be their own. However, the targets that knew the spell was cast would be able to fight back. Even if they could not overcome the curse they could slip up for moments, and would act in a way completely out of habit for them because of the conflicting battle between the invasive and original personality, such as temporary short term memory loss, or moments of inactivity. There would also be an extra mental burden if the order given went against a person's nature; a normal person told to kill would more easily realize the intrusive thought than a sociopath would. Those were the signs the British Aurors used to root out targets under the Imperius during their first civil war. I was just lucky that Nenet wrote her notes on the Curse in English, or that someone later translated it. I practiced the curse extensively on the animals I encountered in the forest, and was slightly disturbed at how easily they were subjugated. I could ask an animal to remain standing on a burning surface or slowly impale themselves on a blade, completely bypassing any and all survival instinct. I had yet to practice the spell on a human, and due to its complexity it's one of the few spells I preferred to cast aloud to minimize any complexities.

My poor target had no clue that he would fall victim to one of the most powerful curses to date, but few ever do while on a casual stroll through a deserted street at midnight. A small hitch in his pace was the only visible indication that my spell worked, before he abruptly turned around and headed towards me. I did not ask him to do much; simply go inside, but open the door wide so I could enter. The poor sap cheerfully entered the pub, and I slipped in before the door could close.

The inside of the pub lived up to its reputation; a thin layer of dust and grime coated the entire visible surface, as if the owner made a half-hazard attempt at cleaning before giving up. Dozens of cracks littered the floor, and the tables and counters weren't in much of a better state. I looked around the bar and only found two other inhabitants; a vagrant looking man seated at a mangy table, and the barman behind the counter polishing a wooden cup with a filthy rag.

I looked at the man under my curse, who by now stood a few feet from the entrance deciding what he wanted, and released him from my control. Releasing the curse was much easier than casting it, since you simply command the curse to stop affecting your target. Before the man could react I put him under another Imperius, this one commanding him to purchase a bottle of alcohol and then leave. I felt it important to remove an Imperius Curse before subjecting a target to another, in order to prevent any possible issues with conflicting orders.

The sap went over to the counter, ordered and paid for a bottle of Firewhisky, and left, presumably to go home. An Imperius on the other sap sitting at the table, as a 'suggestion' that he drank enough and should leave home, also got him to leave. All that was left now was the barman.

I looked at Aberforth, and was disappointed; this was the younger brother of Dumbledore, who was too stubborn and pigheaded to do anything with his life. He certainly must have had some measure of talent since he was part of the first Order of the Phoenix, yet he chose to squander all of his talent and live in this filthy tub. He is the type of person I hate the most; someone too cowardly to live to their full potential, complacent in living a mediocre life. That knowledge made what I would do next much easier.

I used an Imperius curse on Aberforth after making sure there were no witnesses around, but as I expected it did not work immediately. He went rigid and dropped the mug he was cleaning, but thankfully since it was carved from wood it didn't make much noise when it impacted the floor. I could see the strain on Aberforth's face as he endeavored to fight off my curse, so I poured more mana into the spell in an attempt to overpower him. When that didn't work I went with a more direct solution. A Silencing charm rendered Aberforth mute, and I was thankful that the charm worked; while I had practiced it extensively on the animals in the forest, it did not always work. The spell was immensely difficult until I realized that imagining the absence of sound while casting it produced a much larger effect, but lasted less time before it had to be recast. My current limit with the spell was one minute, which was more than enough time for this to work. I canceled my Imperius and used a freezing charm, which would prevent Aberforth from thrashing around.

"Crucio." Out of the three 'unforgivables," the Cruciatus curse remained the one only one I had never practiced. The thought of deliberately causing pain on random animals simply to test out a curse was an action that did not sit right with me, and even now I only used it because it's the fastest way to get what I need. The only indication that my spell affected Aberforth is the frantic shifting of his eyes, the sweat that pooled on his skin, and the random muscle spasms that coursed throughout his body. I maintained the spell for twenty seconds, using the hate I felt for my parents as fuel for the spell. Everything that I read about the spell indicated that you had to mean to use it, to desire causing your target pain. I simply substituted Aberforth with my parents in my mind, and imagined it was them I was torturing.

After twenty seconds I released both spells, and Aberforth's limbs splayed while small groans came from his mouth. Before he got a chance to recover I used the Imperius on him again, which seemed to work. I first stepped over to him and relived him of his wand, which would render him practically useless. Then I commanded Aberforth to get up, hang a sign outside of his door saying the pub was now closed, and then lead me to the portrait of his sister, which he did, staying silent and slightly stumbling the entire time. He led us both through the kitchens into a room filled with miscellaneous items, but what I was truly interested in was the large portrait of a young girl hanging on a wall.

I locked the door with the strongest locking charm I knew, hoping it would be enough to deter anyone from opening the door. I then took off my cloak and secured it inside my pack, while commanding Aberforth to step in front of the portrait. Her portrait began to move and smiled brightly at Aberforth, and I stared, fascinated, at the first moving portrait I encountered. Aberforth's lack of reaction seemed to confuse Arianna, if the tilting of her head was any indication, and her confusion became more pronounced once she noticed me standing next to her brother.

I conjured an ice blade and held it to Aberforth's throat, while also commanding him not to move.

"You have two choices," I told the portrait. "You can open and let me through into Hogwarts, or I can kill your brother and blast you open. Decide quickly." Various emotions played throughout her face, from shock, fear and anger, to resignation. Behind Arianna exists a tunnel that would transport me directly to the Room of Requirements inside Hogwarts through some form of space distortion, which is the easiest and safest way for me to enter the castle now that Dumbledore was away on business.

Without much of a choice, Arianna decided to open up, revealing the tunnel behind her.

"I'm glad we're on the same page," I told her. "I'll take your brother with me; if you alert anyone about our presence here I'll kill him, understood?" A nod from the mute girl was the only assurance I would get, which was enough to satisfy me. "Great, then close the tunnel behind us. You'll have your brother back by tomorrow. If we are discovered I'll kill him, so don't try anything." I commanded Aberforth to walk through the tunnel first, in case any traps presented themselves, and I walked in after him. We were incased in darkness after the door closed behind us, but I created a magelight which stationed itself above my head and moved where I did. It took us ten minutes to reach the end of the tunnel, and I became increasingly paranoid every second I spent in there. Finally I could see a light in the distance, and I rushed towards it. The light turned out to be a candle above a closed door, which gave me an idea to try out. I stood in front of the door and walked past it three times, reciting what I needed it to turn into inside my head. I had Aberforth open the door and walk inside it, and I gave a small cheer inside my head when I saw that it worked.

Thousands of items littered the room forming mountains; from broken furniture to scattered books, anything and everything could be found inside here. While I want nothing more than to sift through the room for hours and uncover whatever lost items were inside, sadly I'm pressed for time. I found a nearby cabinet and commanded Aberforth to stay inside there until I came for him. I put the handcuffs on him and gagged him, then closed the door and locked it. I took out the jar of paint and left a trail from Arriana's portrait to the cabinet, then another trail towards the exit of the room. The exit could always be seen from inside the room, with the items being placed in a way that insured the exit was always visible, no matter where you were. Before exiting the room I put on my invisibility cloak once again, and also recast the silencing charm around me.

Once the door opened I was greeted with the sight of a large empty hallway, along with a large moving portrait of an idiot attempting to teach two trolls how to dance. I ignored the portrait and left immediately, not wanting to risk any portrait reporting a door opening by itself. Besides, I would now be presented with the hardest part of this mission; finding where to go.

I could feel excitement bubble inside of me as I explored the ancient castle; I'm inside Hogwarts of all places! How many people imagined themselves as students here while reading the books? And now I'm actually walking the halls. I used every ounce of willpower to squash down the feeling of running around and exploring every nook and cranny; I didn't have the time to do that, and I would definitely get lost. More than once I had to backtrack my steps because I couldn't remember where I came from. The moving steps certainly didn't help in that regard; at times I wasn't sure if I came from the left or the right of a hallway since most of the hallways looked the same. I tried to leave paint marks at the corners of a hallway to leave traces of where I should go through, but when I walked back to a hallway I marked I discovered that the paint was gone. I walked back further and discovered that all of my other traces were also gone. I don't know whether the castle cleaned itself or the house elves did it, but it certainly made the entire mission much harder; I was forced to rely on my memory to navigate the castle.

My heart almost leaped my chest when I heard footsteps approaching. I hid against the wall and stopped breathing until they passed. Thankfully whoever it was did not enter my hallway, and I continued to search for the third floor. Why one set of stairs didn't connect all of the floors I'll never know. Then when I encountered a patrolling student, a prefect I believe they are called, I had an idea. I mentally kicked myself for not thinking of this sooner and making things needlessly difficult. I used an Imperius on the patrolling girl and commanded her to lead me to the forbidden corridor on the third floor. Since the girl already knew the castles layout she was able to quickly take me to the room I needed, then I dismissed her.

I got a clear view at a Cerberus once I opened the door. The creature was an enormous mass of muscle, with three heads that are all larger then I am. While the creature could not see me, it could definitely smell me as I still had not learned a charm to remove smell. The creatures body rose and I could see its noses flare as it smelled an intruder. But before it could locate me I took out the music box from my pack and it began to play. Immediately the creature began to droop, and after a minute it was already asleep. I opened the trap door and jumped down, making sure the door closed behind me.

Once I landed I felt vines begin to coil around me. I conjured small wisps of fire around my body; enough to force the devil's Snare to retreat, but not enough to destroy it as I did not want to leave any traces of my presence here.

The next room held a swarm of flying keys, but my magic sight quickly spotted the correct one, as it was shaped differently than all of the others. I used Telekinesis to bring it over, and then opened the door. The next room held a giant chess set, but instead of beating the game I simple used a flash step to cover the distance to the next door. The chess pieces never stirred at my passing, so I continued. A troll guarded the next room, but my invisibility cloak prevented it from seeing me. The stupid creature was gnawing on a slab of rotten meat, and it never noticed me passing it. The last room was a chamber with black flames guarding the exit, and seven potions sitting innocuously on a table. Purple flames erupted at the door behind me, but I disregarded them. I cloaked myself with a force field and used a flash step to go through the black flames.

The final room was circular, and contained a single mirror. I used my magic sight to search for traps, but the only thing I found was an indent on the far end of the wall that looked suspiciously like a secret room. I approached the mirror, noticing the inscription carved on its dais.

As I approached the mirror I noticed murky figures taking shape inside of it. My own reflection began to morph, and soon a young child stared back at me.

' **Black hair sat atop the head of a child, while equally black eyes happily peered up at the two figures beside him. A blonde woman bearing similar facial features to the child kneeled beside him, with her arms around him and staring at him in delight. A man with the same hair and eye color stood behind the child, with a single hand on his shoulder and staring at him with evident pride. It was a picturesque image of a content and happy family, and more figures began to appear from behind the trio, each of their details becoming clearer as-'**

Before I could see any more of that lie I shot as much fire and electricity at the mirror, hoping to destroy it for daring to show me that. How dare it! How dare it even begin to think that I would want any further relationship with those people! I spent years under their neglect and abuse, and I learned quickly that neither of them, for they did not deserve the honor of being called my parents, cared about me. I ignored the slight pain near my heart after seeing those images, refusing to acknowledge that it affected me in any way. I stopped trying to impress them years ago, knowing that no matter what I did I would never earn their recognition. After a while I even told myself I didn't want it, as at that point I would be just like them.

I reluctantly stopped trying to destroy the mirror once the drain on my mana reserves began to dip to dangerous levels, and once the flames and electricity died out I noticed that the mirror looked exactly the same as it did before, as if my attack didn't even faze it. I squashed down my growing irritation since destroying the mirror would defeat the purpose of the entire trip here, and looked within it once more.

I ignored all of the figures and stared at the young child, until all of the images began to fade away and the child aged before my eyes. The child, now a man in his twenties, stood alone inside of a large room aimlessly walking around. Alex then stared back at me, but his eyes passed over me as if he no longer recognized me. I felt satisfaction well up within me, before I once again noticed I was falling prey to the mirror. I decided that the mirror would not give me the stone, but I was prepared for that since I did want to use it for myself. I went over to the indentation in the wall and poured mana into it, and it eventually opened up. A small corridor with spiraling stairs appeared, and I then sat down on the floor and took out some food, knowing that I would have to wait.

I never knew that a single day could pass so excruciatingly slow. I did not have any way to measure time, so I sat on the floor for what felt like an eternity and waited. Looking back, I probably should have brought a book with me or something else to distract me with. But I never expected to find the room as quick as I did, so now I had to suffer in silence. After a few hours I remembered that House Elves could apparate within Hogwarts, and almost banged my head on the wall at not thinking of that sooner. I called for Ellamine, and she appeared after a few seconds. She was overjoyed that I was ok, but dismayed at my lack of 'proper' food and the conditions I was in. She went back to the house to prepare some food and bring me some books. I thanked her and asked her to return every hour so I would know what time it was.

Hours passed as I studied and made notes before anything happened. It began with my magic sight detecting a single person entering the room on the other side of the door. As I was 'inside' the wall the intruder would have no way of detecting me without using a searching spell specifically aimed towards the tunnel. Apparently the thought of hidden intruders never occurred to the figure, as they strode directly to the Mirror of Erised. Although my magic sight could not make out the details of his face, as unlike Theresa I did not keep it active at all times because I found it distracting, I could make out the persons clothes, specifically the turban he wore. Quirrel stood in front of the mirror seemingly talking to himself, although I knew it was with Tom who he was conversing with.

Before long I watched as Harry walked into the room and was restrained by Quirrel, then I watched as their fight broke out. Once Quirrel's skin began to boil from contact with Harry I moved into action. I watched as the stone flew out from Harrys pocket once he fell unconscious after Tom's shade came into contact with him and I rushed out to grab it. Before I left I looked at Quirrel and felt a stab of pity for him; his flesh was partially melted around his arms and face, and the rest of him was covered in painful looking boils which seemed to spread before my eyes. His eyes seemed unfocused and small whimpers of pain escaped his mouth while his body spasmed; he's probably delirious from the intense pain. With Tom no longer possessing him Quirrel would slowly die, and I doubt that the Unicorn blood that he drank would help him out much. I decided to do something ethical today and decided to put Quirrel out of his misery.

"Avada Kedavra." Quirrel's body seemed to absorb the green orb, and all of his movements stopped. I felt better that I put him out of his misery instead of leaving him to slowly die, and I immediately hauled ass out through the secret tunnel. I knew Dumbledore would be arriving soon, and I had no desire to be caught by him; I held no delusions that I could defeat the old man, and I wasn't going to be caught after accomplishing what I came here for.

The spiraling stairs in the secret tunnel led to a door, which opened up into a random hallway. A patrolling prefect whirled around to face the opened door, but stopped short once they failed to see anyone. I wasted no time in casting the Imperius, and soon the prefect led me to the seventh floor. I squashed down the feeling of success I felt in favor of watching every corner; I fully expected to see Dumbledore bearing down at me with wand halfway through a lethal spell. While the prefect may not have known where the Room of Requirements is, he did know where the portrait of the idiot teaching two trolls how to dance is. Once we arrived there I commanded the prefect to leave, and entered the room.

I followed the trail of paint that I left to the cabinet that I left Aberforth at, and stunned the man once he began to struggle at the sight of me. I hefted him over my shoulder and opened the door that led to Arianna's tunnel. I rushed down the tunnel, resisting the urge to madly cackle at my success. Soon I saw another light at the end of the tunnel, and under the matching candle I saw another portrait of Arianna. She broke out in visible relief once she saw her brother, and I jumped through the doorway and emerged at Aberforth's pub. I dumbed Aberforth on the floor and threw his wand on him, then walked out of the pub after locking the door to Arianna's portrait again. Before Apparating away I snapped the wand I was using and dumped it in a nearby barrel. I Apparated four times before I was satisfied that no one would be able to track me, using a flash step to cover some distance from each point of Apparation before Apparating again. On the fourth Apparation the Trees of the forest I lived at became visible, and I could no longer resist the urge to cackle; I laughed at the top of my voice that my mad venture actually succeeded. I fell to my knees once the pain in my sides became too much to handle, yet I continued to laugh. I took out the ruby colored gem from my pocket, dozens of ideas of how to use it soaring through my head.

 **AN:**

 **This chapter is extremely late, and I apologize. I was recently hired at a new job, and I've been busy dealing with that.**

 **I'll answer some questions now.**

 **Lucius was able to find Dio's house through a mixture of his personal skills and Rover manipulating events from behind the scenes. And as for the scene where he broke through Dios wards, remember that Dio had only spent half a year in the HP world at that point. That isn't enough time to learn how to do something as complicated as creating wards easily, especially since each ward requires a completely different process.**

 **Dio finding the prefects and Dumbledore being delayed, because in the books Dumbledore arrived at the chamber as soon as Harry fell unconscious, was due to what Rover told Dio; he would have to release his chaos powers to influence what happened. I did state that the results would not always be against Dio, and this time it was in his favor.**

 **Feel free to ask any other questions, and please leave a review.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Authors Note:**

 **This chapter was pretty difficult to write since I wasn't sure if I should start canon or not. But it will start next chapter. This is also extremely late. I apologize, but I have been very busy with my new job, and then my laptop has had many issues. I do want to state that I'm definitely not quitting writing, and I have no plans to abandon this story, but chapters will be slow for the foreseeable future**

 **No, Albus won't notice the Avada Kedavra used on Quirrel since he believes Harry was the cause of his death, even if it was unintentionally. Aberforth and Arianna will be a different story. There will be a backlash to what Dio did, since only Order of the Phoenix members were supposed to know of that tunnel.**

 **I don't plan ahead how 'Chaos' will affect Dio, but leaving it completely to chance does seem like an interesting idea. I will try that next time.**

 **If it isn't too much trouble to my readers, I'd like opinions on how I am handling my characters, mostly Dio and Theresa. I don't have a set personality for either of them yet, and I am still in the process of developing them. Your opinions could help me revise them.**

 **I would also like your opinions on different P.O.V.s for this story. Some suggestions on characters to use or what you would like to see would be appreciated.**

 **On a separate note, I've forgotten the word 'Blindfold" seven times now- I've counted. I need to write it down somewhere.**

 **Ophis and her snake, who I've named Enon, won't be very important to the story for at least a year. I have big plans for Enon that require a certain large snake to be dealt with first. I will say that you shouldn't get too attached to Enon; I will drastically change everything about her once the year is over. And I can't use Ophis much yet without her being a game breaker, since she is literally the strongest being in this multiverse. Ophis will become much more important later, and especially so when I delve into the Universe her character originates from. And no, Ophis won't solve any of Dio's problems. Without spoiling too much, Ophis is creating her own group of powerful people to take down an enemy that she can't deal with herself. Dio has potential, which is what drew Ophis to him. But he is, as she said, 'Too weak.' For now.**

 **Enjoy the chapter, and please leave a review. Ash out.**

"Speech"= A normal conversation

'Speech'= Thoughts, telepathy.

"{Speech}" = Parseltongue

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or Fable; they belong to JK Rowling and Lionhead Studios respectively. I only own Dio, and I make no money off of this story.

-Skip-Clip-Rip-Dip-

The philosopher's stone. An object theorized to grant immortality, which also allows common metals to be transmuted into gold and silver. For centuries the dream of that stone haunted the minds of philosophers around the world, and the goal of creating the stone became the driving force behind alchemy. The only known success in creating the stone was Nicholas Flamel roughly six-hundred years ago, who after creating the stone lived in seclusion to protect it.

That mythical item innocuously sat on my kitchen table this very moment, and I had no clue how to use it. The distinct lack of an owner's manual was akin to a smack in the face after all of the trouble I went through to get the stone.

I of course had many different ideas on how the stone would work, but none of them seemed to bear any fruit. Pouring mana into the stone produced no discernable effect except for tiring me out. My magic sight was no help either since the stone looked gave me a splitting headache when I looked at it; the large amount of magic condensed into such a small area was almost impossible to look at separately, so I could discern no clues from the enchantments laid upon it. Because of this all of my experiments with the stone had to be done inside a secluded room, or else I risked harming Theresa if she was in proximity of the stone. I did however, quickly discovered that the stone was very sturdy; I lost count of the times I hurled the stone against the wall in frustration, yet never was a single facet of the stone marred in any way. Irene was not able to help in this regard since she knew less of the stone than I did, not having been raised in a society that had immortalized the stone through media.

As luck would have it, I appeared to have discovered one of the stones secrets seemingly by accident; in one of my rage fueled tantrums I hurled the stone across the room, and it plopped inside a cup of tea I had set out earlier. I left the stone where it was and spent the next few hours training with Theresa, who was quickly improving her swordsmanship. While I'm not a master in the way of the sword, since I am more suited towards the 'mage' class, I am certainly no slouch at it and am proficient enough to train her. It did help that Theresa took to training with a fervor that I had only seen in some of the oldest heroes back in Albion.

When I returned to my workshop and went to retrieve the stone from the cup I noticed something strange; the cup of tea was no longer the light brown color it was supposed to be and had turned almost blood red. I took the stone out but I couldn't detect any changes to its structure, not even after braving a look through my magic sight, although that did little more than cause a migraine. I called Irene over to help me figure out what the heck happened, but her answer basically boiled down to 'I have no idea.' She then attempted to discourage me from my net course of action with little success; I downed the entire cup of tea. In hindsight drinking a strange liquid that originated from a stone I knew nothing about was definitely not one of my best ideas, and Irene proceeded to nag me about that for the next few hours by telling me how stupid I am.

The reason I decided to drink the liquid was the myriad of stories about the stone, mainly the ones about the elixir of life. While I originally though that the stone somehow produced the liquid, once I saw what the tea turned into I theorized that the stone would turn a liquid into the elixir. It made more sense when I remembered that the Philosophers Stone is associated with Alchemy, which basically boiled down to changing the structure of one item into another. Of course the liquid could have been a poison that the creator designed to eliminate any thieves, but I decided to take the risk anyways. When nothing happened after a few hours I decided that the liquid was a dud.

That thought was quickly eliminated when I next spoke to Theresa; the poor girl almost had a panic attack when she saw me. Apparently the liquid had begun to subtly change my magic, and neither Irene nor I had noticed. I used my magic sight to look at myself and noticed what Theresa saw; some sort of magic was coursing through my body, which is visible by a light red mixing in with the silver. One day Theresa discovered that our magic sight allowed us to see the magic inside of objects, and we discovered that each wielder has a specific color to their magic. My magic is a dark silver color, while Irene's a lighter silver and Theresa's is a dark red color. The magic followed similar paths throughout our body like blood did, and 'veins' of it originated from the center of our chests, where a large ball of the same color of our magic resided. More likely than not that is the magical core that all wizards here carried. That aspect of the magic sight could be switched on or off at will, and it's very useful in determining a magical construct versus a natural one, since all magical constructs need a supply of magic to operate. I cast all of the diagnostic spells I knew but could find nothing wrong with my body; I was as healthy as ever. At that moment I decided to test if the elixir was authentic with the only option available to me; with the passage of time.

It would take me two months to notice that neither my hair nor my fingernails were growing before I decided that yes, the elixir is authentic. Instead of prolonging my life it seemed to suspend me into some sort of stasis effect and prevented my body from aging. That explained why Nicholas Flamel and his wife were going to die without the stone; they no longer had a supply of the liquid to consume. I wondered why they simply did not have barrels of it stocked away in case the stone was ever stolen from them, but the answer was actually very simple; the stone required too much energy to stockpile much of the liquid.

I theorized that energy was required to produce the liquid, and since the stone had no way of producing its own energy it required an outside force to supply it. I spent days pouring mana into the stone, yet when I tried to create more of the liquid the stone only managed to create another cup's worth of it with the mana it had. I spent the next two weeks pouring every Iota of mana I had into the stone, and the stone barely managed to produce an entire gallon of the liquid. My mana reserves were much larger than average wizards, or at least that's what Rover had previously told me, so it made sense that two normal wizards couldn't supply enough magic to the stone to stockpile the liquid while also having enough magic to go about their daily lives.

Irene and I both agreed that it would be better not to drink the elixir now; if it stopped the aging of the drinker's body, it would also hinder potential growth. I had no idea if the elixir would also stop my magical core from changing and I had no desire to test it out at this time. I wasn't completely sure that the elixir made me immortal, since two months didn't really provide much proof. I also didn't know how much time a single cup of the liquid provided. It's an annoying and cumbersome method of immortality, but it's the only one available to me. For now. I went behind the house and dropped the stone in a hole I dug, and made sure there were no marks that would identify that location as important in any way. A ward over the now sealed hole would act like a beacon that said 'there's something valuable inside here!'

The stone occupied most of my time from June to the middle of August, and I was mildly surprised when I realized the deadline to start my plans was also here. I still needed to order the wands for Theresa and I while also secure a place in Hogwarts. Both of those objectives would have normally been difficult, but I had an invaluable resource at my Disposal; Lucius. He leaped at the chance to assist me because I would then owe him two favors, no doubt already forming plans on how to use me. It didn't take Lucius long to set up a meeting with Gregorovitch which I appreciated as I needed to hurry. I made a trip to Gringotts with Theresa the day before the meeting to gather the necessary materials, knowing that they would keep their mouths shut if I paid them enough.

-Skip-Clip-Rip-Dip-

As the feeling of compression left I looked around at the location we apparated to. The frigid air is the first thing I noticed, so I cast a warming charm on Theresa, Irene and myself. The next thing I noticed is the lack of sounds, but that may due to the howling wind deafening all other sounds. Buildings surrounded us on all sides, covered in a thick film of snow that obscured any and all signs which prevented me from figuring out where we were. Not that I would be able to read the language anyways or ask any of the inhabitants; I don't know a single word of Swedish. The harsh environment certainly made it hard to find someone, since no one would willingly come here without a good reason. All I have to work with are directions from Lucius, but woven he said that this venture may be a lost cause since the person I sought after tended to move locations every few years.

I managed to locate the clock tower in the center of town, and according to Lucius we now had to head four miles directly east of here. After four long miles, and numerous flash steps, we came across the only other landmark that Lucius identified; a statue of Lormack the mad, a Swedish wizard famous in these lands for leading an uprising. From here we have to move west for a mile, and we should arrive at a cabin.

" _Why are we here Dio,"_ Theresa asked. " _I can still feel the cold despite the warming charm."_

" _We need wands,"_ I replied, " _Functional wands suited to work for us. While the wands we've been using for now are functional enough, a wand specially crafted for us will be even more effective. I'm sure you've noticed that some wands are temperamental and won't always follow orders, correct?"_ A nod of her head was my response. " _The reason that happens is that wands possess an almost limited form of sentience, and refuse to work properly for some spells depending on the wizard. It can all boil down to, as any wand crafter will eagerly inform you, that the wand chooses the wizard. So to avoid that we are going to have wands crafted for us."_

" _And why did we have to come to this frozen wasteland to do this? Isn't there a wand crafter in Diagon alley?"_

" _Because,"_ said Irene who at this point was mostly hidden within my own jacket to stave off the cold, _"While Ollivander is a genius when it comes to wand crafting, he has a reputation for disliking the…darker branches of wand crafting. And what we have in mind would certainly be labeled as dark by those idiots back in Britain."_

" _Then if it's considered dark then why are we doing it,"_ Theresa asked with a frown.

" _Just because one group of cowards consider something dark does not automatically mean that is it,_ " I replied. _"And in any case, light and dark is completely subjective to an individual; one person can view an event as light in nature, while another could view the same exact event as dark in nature. Never allow someone else to dictate your opinion for you; always make one for yourself after you gather as many facts as possible, and decide what you do from there. And besides, what we are about to do is a small blood ritual that harms no one but ourselves, and even that harm is negligible."_

The rest of the trip was spent in silence, and Theresa seemed to consider my words. I just hope that it's a lesson that she takes to heart, since not everyone is able to be open minded. Many individuals will first make an assumption about a situation and then act accordingly, without ever stopping to consider if there is an alternative. Those are the people who do harm without ever intending it, and are arguably the most dangerous type of person.

After a few more minutes of trudging through the snow the three of us stiffened as we felt an unknown magic brush against us, signifying that we had just activated a ward of some sort. As we continued walking I noticed a small path that is, miraculously enough, not buried under a slew of snow. Lucius' words of 'following the cobbled path' rang through my head, so I did just that. As we walked I extended my magic sight in every direction to scout for enemies, and no doubt Irene and Theresa were doing the same beside me. Soon enough Theresa informed us that she could 'see' wolves of some sort approaching us, which strengthened my theory that she had already surpassed me in that skill. I wouldn't be surprised if she could 'see' in greater detail than I did.

When the wolves finally registered in my own range, I activated the second form of my sight to determine if the wolves are magical or not. The green veins of mana coursing through the wolves identified them as magical in nature, although if they are magical constructs like golems or transfigured beasts is unknown. As the wolves neared us they split off and began to surround us, never approaching or straying a certain length from us. That identified them as golems, since transfigured animals, while intelligent enough to follow a limited set of orders such as 'attack' or 'defend,' could not follow a complex set of orders and would act like the beasts they are designed after.

" _Why are they just surrounding us,"_ Theresa asked.

" _They must be the guards Gregorovitch has,"_ Irene responded. _"It makes sense if you think about it; he's a wand maker, crafting is his specialty. Why hire guards when you can make your own, and further your craft simultaneously."_

" _I doubt they will attack as long as we don't give them a reason to,"_ I said. _"Gregorovitch wouldn't want to scare off potential customers, so he has the wolves as a security measure. I doubt most people would notice them, since the snow obscures them from view and muffles their sounds. Most visitors would probably never notice they exist, which is another security measure in and of itself. You can't guard against what you don't know exists."_

" _And on that note,"_ Theresa asked, " _Why the hell is it so fucking cold here? It's the middle of August!"_

" _Yes, I'm wondering the same thing,"_ Irene asked. _"This weather is far from normal. Do you know what's causing it? And also, language,"_ she said to Theresa, who stuck her tongue out at her.

' _According to Lucius,"_ I replied, " _A large tribe of Snow women inhabit these lands alongside the wizards. The wizards here gave the Snow women sanctuary, and eventually both species coinhabited these lands. No one knows why the wizards allowed the Snow women to live here, and a few speculated that the Snow women threatened the wizarding community into allowing them to stay. Yet when a mob was formed to 'drive the filthy creatures out,' the wizards of these lands were the first to defend the Snow women. The presence of the Snow women terraformed the land, turning it into the frozen wasteland around us, reshaping it into a perpetual winter. And yet the wizards here do nothing about it, and it baffles every other community."_

" _What are Snow Women,"_ Theresa asked.

" _I must admit that I have not heard of these creatures before either,"_ Irene said, " _But they must be powerful if they transformed the environment in such a way."_

" _I don't know much of Snow Women myself to be honest, but I do know that they are creatures of snow and Ice. They are the equivalent of sirens; both deadly yet beautiful. Their emotions reflect the very aspect of snow; they can be cold and unforgiving, and even cruel when the situation calls for it. Yet there is a softer side to them that attracts men to their embrace. The environment that they live in is slowly turned colder, and the effect is magnified by the amount of Snow Women present. There must be a few hundred here to produce this effect. The strange thing about Snow Women is that their children are always female, so they must seek out men of other species to reproduce. Humans are their preferred target as we are the race most physically similar to them, although there have been stories of them taking goblins as mates, and even hybrids such as half-giants."_

Our brief lesson was cut short as the cobblestone path ended and a cabin came into view. At the door stood an old man wrapped in what looks to be animal pelts, and he glared at us as if our presence was unwelcome. Which, since at this point he planned to Retire, is likely true.

"Well what are the lot of you's standing around for," Gregorovitch yelled, "Get your bloomin arses in here already; you're letting the cold air in." I refrained from mentioning how he could have closed the door or refrained from waiting for us outside out of politeness, yet Theresa seemed to have no such qualms.

"Well of course I had to wait for you lass, don't you know that it's rude to keep guests waiting? Even if the guests are uninvited." With that the cantankerous old man ushered us inside, and the difference in temperature could immediately be felt. I began to shed layers of clothing since the heat quickly became stifling, with Theresa following my lead. Irene stayed perched on my shoulder, hidden from view by my hair at my request.

As I looked around at the building, I could not help but feel a twinge of disappointment; while the building is designed as a workshop, most of it is in disarray, or bear's signs of being prepared for storage. Crates littered the floor, with some being packaged and sealed while others were empty or partially filled. Tables lie empty, or in some cases dismantled. Tools are scattered haphazardly, with some bearing a layer of dust. But the most glaring feature of the building is the bare shelves.

Columns upon columns of shelves littered the shop, yet more than half of them are empty. Only the farthest from the entrance still exhibit the wand cases that contained the items Gregorovitch is famous for. The shop looked abandoned or in the midst of bankruptcy, although that couldn't be further from the truth. Gregorovitch finally decided to retire from wand making, which sparked no small amount of panic in Wizarding circles worldwide. Wand makers have always been in short supply, so his retirement would cause a huge impact in wand sales.

"So whatr're you here for, and with a young lass no less? As you can see I no longer make wands, so don't bother asking."

"Actually that is what we're here for," I replied.

"They you've wasted your time, and can leave. Go on, get out. I don't make wands anymore, and nothing you can say will change my mind." While not the most welcoming of introductions, I couldn't allow it to discourage me; Gregorovitch may very well be the only Wand Maker able to craft what I required.

"In that case, would you mind if the two of us stayed for a while to recover? Journeying here was no easy task."

He mulled it over before taking a look at Theresa, and reached a decision.

"I'm not cold-hearted enough to send a young lass like her out into the snow tired. You can stay for a while, but don't touch anything; everything here is valuable, and very dangerous."

As he suggested the two of us made ourselves comfortable. Gregorovitch decided to ignore us while he continued to pack up his shop. While Theresa entertained herself by looking a t the various items in the shop, I decided to observe the illusive wand maker. I could still feel the wolves at the edge of my senses, so I knew that he only pretended to ignore us. I decided not to pressure him into making a wand, and instead try to bribe him. The only issue now is how to bring up the topic without setting him off.

Said man stood at an impressive height, and even hunched over by age I can tell that at his full height he stood taller than me. His long spindly hair hung matted with grease and filth, as if days had gone by since he properly washed it. His clothes lay tight against his body, which is important given his profession as a wand crafter since that would lessen the chance of a stray sleeve getting caught in his work. Skilled Potion crafters took similar precautions to prevent injuries. His hands and arms bear numerous scars, from puncture wounds to slashes and burns, detailing the inherently dangerous nature of his work since the more skilled wand crafters tended to collect their ingredients themselves. That involved frequent interactions with dangerous animals, since I doubt Griffins give up their claws easily. His eyes lay gaunt as if he suffered from a lack of sleep. Yet his sharp movements and clear speech shows experience with dealing from a lack of sleep.

As we waited I noticed how carefully he treated each of the boxes that he packaged, first opening them and making sure that the wands inside are perfect before setting them away.

"Who was it that told you how to find me," the cranky old man asked. "There aren't many who still remember where I live."

"It was Lucius Malfoy." No need to lie about it, since there's nothing illegal about us being here. Well, aside from going through the proper channels that is, but it would be fine as long as we aren't found.

"I'm surprised you actually managed to get something out of the slippery bastard; he's notorious for keeping his cards close to his chest."

"We managed to work out a deal; he tells me your location, and I support him in any laws he attempts to pass."

"Is that so? And who are you to so easily garner the support of a Malfoy? Why would Lucius, who has everyone who is anyone in his pocket, need your support?"

"That's simple; my name is Dio Trajan." It was a subtle change, one that I would have missed if I hadn't been focusing as intently on him as I was. Now Gregorovitch was fully facing me, and he made sure that as there are as few obstructions as possible between us as he walked around. I have no doubt that he would pull out a wand and start casting spells at the smallest provocation.

"So you're one of those monsters eh. Then why are you here? Your family's renowned for not needing wands to cast spells aren't you? Why come bother an old man like me then?"

"While the rumors are true, a wand is still necessary, at least so we don't draw attention."

"'We'? Then I assume this young lass is related to you?"

"My younger sister. I came here with the hopes that you could craft a wand for the both of us."

"If that's so, then you're plum out of luck; I've retired. My days of wand crafting, or any crafting, are over."

"That's a complete shame, from what I've seen you're an expert at what you do."

"Oh? And what would you know of wand crafting boy?"

"Very little I admit. But that's not what I mean. I'm talking about the wolves that surround us at this very moment."

"I'm impressed, I've only met two others who came here and noticed my golems."

"Your golems are very well crafted. Not only are they perfectly camouflaged in this weather, but they stayed a perfect distance from us. I'm not surprised that few people notice them; they're an almost perfect defense system. And that's not even counting their numbers." I watched as Gregorovitch almost preened under my compliments, which is perfect; as long as he's in a good mood, it'll be easier to convince him.

"It's nice to see that someone else realizes the greatness of my golems. Most people come to me demanding that I craft them the perfect wand, one that would defeat any enemy. The fools never stop to think of the wand itself, or the bond between the wand and wizard. Most wielders wouldn't know what their wands are made of if we didn't tell them. However, if you managed to identify my golems, then you do realize that threatening me won't end well correct?"

"I have no intentions of forcing you to create a wand."

"Oh? Then pray tell, how do you plan on convincing me."

" _That's your cue,"_ I told Irene. I watched with no small amount of pleasure as shock filled Gregorovitch's face as he took in the sight of Irene. As a wand crafter he would know the true rarity and value of materials, and anything from a fairy would be almost priceless.

"But..but I thought the Fae died out? They haven't been seen in ages!"

"Simply because they haven't been seen doesn't mean they are extinct, and that's all I will say on the subject." I have no clue if the Fae do exist in this universe or not, and most evidence does point to extinction, but this worked out in my favor. Any materials from Irene would be too valuable to pass up for any crafter with pride.

"Don't think that simply pulling a Fairy out of thin air is going to change my mind. And how do I know that she isn't some sort of trick?"

" _Is this geezer asking me to perform tricks,"_ Irene asked incredulously.

" _If it's any consolation Irene, I'm almost certain that he's younger than you are."_ The glare she sent in my direction made whatever revenge she would enact on me later completely worth it.

" _Very well,"_ she responded with a sigh. _"But I'm only doing this because I know it's important for you. And you're buying me ice cream for this, and lots of it."_ I completely regret ever having introduced Irene to ice cream, because just other normal sized woman she fell completely in love with it. And since she couldn't go out to buy it herself - being a member of an extinct species meant that someone would attempt to capture her, and while I'm more than certain that she could take on any average wizard, it isn't a risk I ever want her to take alone - I was quickly delegated as her ice cream delivery boy. She even transfigured an outfit that said as such for me, although I refused to wear it.

Irene then flew up to Gregorovitch's face and bopped him on the nose, which caused his hair to swell out to a length that could possibly rival Rapunzel, and then turned the hair a deep purple. With a satisfied now she flew over to me and sat on the top of my head, then peered down her nose at the old man in front of us, appearing every bit a regal empress.

"Is that…but they're supposed to be….how did you…"

It seems that Gregorovitch is struck speechless, which doesn't surprise me since the Fae are long thought to be dead.

"I'm sure that a crafter of renown such as you understands the rarity that I'm offering you here; the chance to create a wand that would rival the Elder wand of legends. If you truly are retiring, why not go out with a bang? Seize this chance to be recognized for something else than being a great wand crafter; become the crater of an unparalleled wand. Create your own history, instead of allowing others to create it for you." I could see the struggle appear on his face as I slowly won him over, so I decided to push even more. "And besides, you won't be creating one wand," I said, while gesturing to Theresa beside me, "you'll be creating two. And I am prepared to pay you handsomely; not only have I brought along all of the materials you'll need, but I'm also prepared to pay you fifty galleons for both wands." I held in a snicker as his eyes almost bulged out of their sockets; most wands are worth fifteen or less galleons, making my offer more than generous.

"And how do I know that even if I make this wand, and I'm not saying I will, neither of you will abuse it?"

"You don't, but then again, morality is beneath men such as you and I. That Lucius Malfoy is our mutual acquaintance speaks volumes of our character. But whether I wish to become a paragon of virtue or a fiend unparalleled in cruelty is none of your concern. And besides, I could always lie. But if it's any consolation, I can assure you that while I work alongside Lucius, his views and mine greatly differ. Working with him is necessary to further along my own plans, which is the only reason I work with him."

Gregorovitch digested my words in silence, staring at me as if he wanted to expose the validity of my words. After a while he turned to Theresa and attempted to do the same, although the blindfold she wears made it difficult to understand what she thought; the girl could wear a very effective poker face when she wants to.

"And what about you," he asked her. "What do you want to do with the wands?" Instead of immediately replying Theresa thought on the question, as if she never considered it. Curious as to her answer myself, I withdrew our connection temporarily so she could reach her own decision.

"I want power," she finally said. "I want to make sure that I can protect the people I care about. I refuse to let others take advantage of me or the people I care about." While she didn't say much, enough conviction shone through to prove that what she said is how she really felt. Then she continued, albeit in a much quieter voice, almost as if no one was supposed to hear her; "And I never want to feel weak again."

Gregorovitch continued to stare at her, before nodding once and staring back at me with a resigned look on his face. "I never stood a chance did I," he asked. This time I allowed a grin to form on my face; "No, no you didn't."

"Very well lad," he said with a final look at Irene, who even now continued to perch on my head. "I'll create your wands. Follow me then." A single glance from Theresa conveyed her thought and I nodded back at her. Together the three of us followed Gregorovitch to the back of his workshop, where a spell from him caused two parallel doors to appear and open, leading to an even larger workshop. That surprised me, since my magic sight wasn't able to pierce through whatever enchantment hid this room from me. However, instead of being covered with dust this workshop still showed signs of activity, with wood chips and metal filings scattered across the ground. Wands in various stages of creation dotted the workshop; enchanted tools polished and shined finished wands, while other tools carved wands of various sizes from blocks of wood. Gregorovitch led us to a large table at the very back of the store where various jars and boxes stood. I couldn't 'see' what lay inside of the containers, but the large amount of magic they emit gives me a good idea at what they are.

"These are the various cores that I use for my wand," Gregorovitch informed us. "From here I begin the process of creating wands by choosing their most important aspect; what core they will carry. Now, you said that you have your own materials, so take them out so I can see what I have to work with."

I did as he said and took out the materials from the backpack I carried; six vials of blood, four red and two purple, each with a label to whom they belonged, and two bones of different sizes, both much wider than any human bone should be. Gregorovitch raised an eyebrow at the selection, which I admit is strange.

"Bones and blood," he asked. "A strange combination for a wand. Where do they come from?"

"The blood is from me, my sister, and the purple blood is from Irene. The bones are from my sister and I, and you may know them as the radial bone. We recently went to Gringotts, and the goblin's there kindly removed the bones from us, for a price. Then they performed a ritual that mutated the bones, enlarging them without changing their structure or composition at all. Sadly I wasn't allowed to see the ritual, as it seems very useful. Each item was willingly given."

"And what do you hope to use the bone for?"

"Well, I'm hoping that you can mold the bones into the base of our wands."

"Wait a bloody second. Let me see if I'm hearing you correctly; you want to use your own bones as the body for your wands instead of wood?"

"Yes," I replied. ""Why do you sound so incredulous?"

"Because Blood magic, or any type of magic that uses flesh really, is commonly viewed as dark magic. That type of magic is outlawed in most countries, and Britain is certainly one of them, while the countries that do allow the practice heavily regulate it."

"Then in that case it's a good thing that I've never been one to let others decide what I can or can't do. And besides, flesh _is_ used in wand carting; Dragon heartstring, Manticore stinger, and many others. And Potions making uses even more animal parts. The practice is only viewed as 'Dark" when human parts are used."

"If you say it like that then there isn't much I can argue about, but you mistake my initial intention; I have no desire to judge you, I merely intended to make sure you understood how others will view the both of you if they ever uncover the true nature behind your wands. In my years as a wand crafter I've had to commit many heinous acts due to my more….volatile clientele, so creating two wands from bone won't faze me."

Having said his piece Gregorovitch rolled up his sleeves and headed towards the large table situated in the middle of the room. A flick of his wand sent the various building materials flying across the room, yet I noticed that each one landed delicately on the respective surfaces they were sent to. Then Gregorovitch began to flit across the room, gathering different materials and tools and sorting them on the large table, muttering under his breath the entire time. Theresa took the opportunity to ask the question that burned within her ever since Gregorovitch mentioned Dark magic.

" _Dio,"_ she asked, " _is what he said true? Is what we're here for truly evil?"_

" _The answer to that question is complicated,"_ I replied with a sigh, " _and the answer would greatly vary with each person you ask. Answer me this; before we came here I explained the nature of what we would be doing here. Did it seem dark to you then?"_

" _Well no,"_ she said hesitantly, _"Not really. It seemed logical; we give up something to gain something else."_

" _Your question is inherently dangerous when asked to yourself,"_ piped Irene from atop my head, _"because it can lead you to question yourself. But it becomes deadly when you pose that question to someone else, because they will then try to influence your beliefs with your own."_

" _Do not ever allow anyone else to determine your beliefs for you,"_ I said, " _not even Irene or I. You should always strive to gather as much information about a situation before casting judgement. The weak willed will strive to paint the world in black and white, and they will act accordingly. Never allow others to decide your options for you, because once you do you will find yourself nothing more than a forgettable character, one indistinguishable from the other around them."_

"She seemed to consider our words for a while, before turning towards me and frowning _. "But wait,"_ she said, _"if I took your advice, wouldn't that go against the very advice you're giving me?"_

" _You're learning quickly,"_ I replied with a smile. " _Keep thinking like that and you'll find that few people will be able to take advantage of you. Or you'll go insane with paranoia. Perhaps both."_

" _This is frustrating,"_ she said with a scowl.

" _Welcome to the adult version of life,"_ Irene replied with a smirk, " _where we all, despite hating every second of it, make life needlessly harder simply because others are doing it and we have to keep up."_

"Can the three of you stop standing around looking at each other like loons and get your arses over here," a voice interrupted us, "these wands aren't going to craft themselves."

While we maintained a conversation Gregorovitch seemed to have finished collecting what he needed. As we headed over to him he led us back to the table that contained the future wand cores.

"Before we begin to create your wands we need to determine the core," he informed us. "The core of your wand can objectively be viewed as its most important part, since the core will determine what type of magic you wield an affinity for. Most wands carry unicorn hair or dragon heartstring since they are some of the easier items to acquire; Unicorns shed many hairs throughout their lives, and willingly allow maidens to harvest their hairs. Dragons are a different matter; while extremely dangerous, all Dragons are corralled and heavily regulated. A single dragon can easily be killed by a group of wizards, especially so if the dragon isn't expecting the attack. It also helps that dragons have large hearts; a single dragon heart can be chopped up and produce enough materials for dozens of wands. However, those are commonly used materials, and I doubt they would prove useful in this situation. I have here potential wand cores, and you will tell me which one draws you. That will become the core of your wand."

"And how are we going to find out which core is for us," Theresa asked.

"That's for you to find out lass; telling you would defeat the purpose."

With an annoyed huff Theresa moved in front of the jars and 'looked' at them. After a few minutes of silence she moved towards a jar that contained a few fangs in them.

"This one," she said as she pointed at the jar.

"Are you sure lass," Gregorovitch asked. At her nod he frowned and looked closely at Theresa, as if noticing her for the first time.

"Those fangs belong to a breed of hounds known as the Cu Sith, or hellhounds. They are notorious for their barks, which come in sets of three and kill anyone who hears the third. As hounds they are fiercely loyal to their owners, but are also unruly and hard to control. Most Cu Sith roam the wilds, with very few wizards attempting to control them as the hounds kill those they believe are unworthy. Owners of wands with their fangs as cores are known to be fiercely loyal, yet ruthless to their enemies. Very few wizards carry wands from their cores, since most purchase their wands as children, and few children possess the necessary mindset to qualify for these cores. I would be worried about someone your age being drawn to them, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised since you _are_ a Trajan. Your family has always been ruthless when they need to be, and loyal to their allies."

I shared a loaded look with Irene, and we silently agreed to discuss the topic of Theresa's choice when she isn't around. It seems her mental health is more fractured than either of us initially thought. Gregorovitch opened the jar and took out a fang, then gave it to Theresa. The fang, initially a pale dark color, began to darken as soon as it touched her hands into a pitch black color.

"And now it's your turn Mr. Trajan. Just locate the appropriate core for yourself, and I'll be able to begin building your wands."

'Easier said than done,' I thought as I walked up to the table. " _Any hint that you can give me,"_ I asked Theresa.

" _No hints allowed,"_ she replied with an entirely too smug grin. " _Prat,"_ I replied as I focused on the cores. Without any clue on what to do I settled for doing something simple; I closed my eyes and shut off my magic sight, then extended my mana outward until it canvassed each jar, and waited so see how each ingredient reacted. Immediately four jars began to draw my mana in while the others did nothing, so I focused on those.

Of the four two absorbed more mana, so I ignored the others and fed those two with even more mana. Of the two, the jar on the left 'felt' frigid, while the box on the right seems to draw everything into itself, like an all-encompassing void. Knowing that I tended to favor ice magic when I needed to conjure something, I walked over to the jar on the right. When I opened my eyes I saw that the jar is clear and contains a powdery blue dust.

"Ice Wraith essence," Said Gregorovitch. "An unusual choice for a wand core, since not many wizards focus on elemental spells these days. The essence is the decayed body of an Ice Wraith, which disintegrates upon death. As the name implies, an Ice Wraith has a large affinity to ice spells and, to a lesser degree, water spells also. Most wizards with these wand cores tend to experience a weakness when dealing with fire based spells, although a sufficiently powerful wizard could use Ice to extinguish fire. Because you chose this spell Mr. Trajan I have to ask; are you proficient in elemental spells?"

I briefly considered lying or omitting information, but decided against it; not only would telling him the truth be a show of faith, if he discovers my lie he may revise his decision to build our wands. And it isn't as if he asked for any important information anyways.

"I have experience with fire, wind, lightning, and ice," I informed him. "I tend to use ice magic when I need to create or transfigure something, because then both the material and the magic transforming it would originate from me, allowing for a greater degree of control."

"Impressive," Gregorovitch said with a nod. "Very few wizards see the benefit of mastering the elements. Very well, now that I know what I'm working with, give me some time to craft your wands."

"How long," I asked him.

"One week for both wands should be sufficient. Once you return the wands will be ready for you, and hopefully they will accept you as wielders."

"Is there a chance that they wouldn't?"

"There is always a chance, but I doubt that it would be a problem in this case; you've masterfully brought me items that all but insure the wands will accept you. If I didn't know any better I would say that all of this played out how you expected it to."

"Now that would be impressive," I said with a small smile. "Come on Theresa, we'll return in a week."

 **AN:**

 **Because I've already gone so long without uploading, I cut this chapter off here just to be able to upload something. As such I know that the ending is weak. Our favorite psychopath will make his debut in Hogwarts next chapter, one way or another.**

 **Sorry for the disappointing chapter and I hope I don't lose any readers for the slow update time.**

 **Ash out.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Authors Note:**

 **This is the first chapter completely seen from a different character's POV, but it probably won't be the last. This chapter covers all of her time in Fable, and then the next will cover the group's short time in HP and will also continue the story. I felt like it was time that a larger insight into Theresa was given. It can also be viewed as a filler chapter at the beginning, but meh. I think it's necessary. Please let me know what you think, since I'm honestly still developing Theresa's character.**

 **I did leave on a cruise, so I went almost a month without writing. Because of that I'm cutting this into two chapters instead of one, since it's been so long since I post anything. I will try to post on my profile if anything like that ever happens. Likewise, if I ever decided to quit on this story I will let you all know. So please bear with me! And if I ever do decide to stop this story, it will most likely be because I want to move on and have Dio visit a different universe.**

 **As for Jack's description, I kept it the same as the Fable series. Just google it if you want to know what he looks like. He will be the central antagonist of the Fable series, although Dio does have plans to deal with him. I won't spoil anything yet, but I will hint that it has to do with the blood that he has collected from Theresa.**

 **Theresa's brother, the Hero of Oakvale, will be named Liam. I chose that name for the MC of a novel I wrote a few years ago, but I quit writing it after a few pages. The quality was just horrendous. I'm glad I get to use the name again, although the personalities won't be alike at all, and I'll probably dust off some other old names once I find the pages I wrote.**

 **And a fair warning; I go into further detail of the slaughter of Oakvale, and all that I have hinted it entailed, along with more of what happened to Theresa in that hut. If you are squeamish, don't read. While I try not to cross any lines and be explicit, it's far from pretty.**

 **Please leave a review, and enjoy.**

 **Ash out.**

"Speech"= A normal conversation

'Speech'= Thoughts, telepathy.

"{Speech}" = Parseltongue

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or Fable; they belong to JK Rowling and Lionhead Studios respectively. I only own Dio, and I make no money off of this story.

* * *

 **Theresa Trajan P.O.V.**

Once again, Theresa felt confused on how she got into these situations. Her life used to be peaceful and quiet, but now she couldn't go a week without something exploding, the rules of reality being distorted, or crazy manipulative coots spontaneously appearing.

And it's all Dios fault. Or at least that's what Irene told her to believe. And Theresa had to admit that blaming Dio for everything did make her feel better, not that she would ever tell him that.

His delicate sensibilities wouldn't be able to take it.

Of course, that train of thought only exemplified how much her life had changed in the past two years.

She remembered how happy she was living with her family, back in the village of Oakvale. She missed waking up to the sight of the breakfast her mother laid out for her while she slept, being taught the way the world worked by her mother, learning to challenge her lot in life as a woman, and feeling like she would always be loved. She missed the stories her father would read to her when she slept, of Dragons and Heroes and their fierce battles. But most of all she missed her brother Liam the most. While Theresa certainly had a great relationship with both of her parents, it paled in comparison to the one she shared with her brother.

While he may have been dirty and stupid like other boys his age, forgetting her birthday on two different occasions for example, he more than made up for that through being honorable.

Their father Brom had always entertained at night them with stories of righteous heroes who never strayed from the path of righteousness, and who would always do the right thing. While Theresa was old enough to know that those stories weren't exactly accurate, her brother was always captivated by them and aspired to follow their example. He would go around the town helping whoever he could whenever he had spare time. A little girl lost her bear? He would search the entire town to find it. Someone being bullied? He would make sure it stopped, even if he had to fight the bully. Their father couldn't be any prouder of Liam, and always encouraged him. Her mother, being a hero even if her children didn't know if it, subtly encouraged Liam's actions believing his heart to be in the right place. She knew she wouldn't be able to stop Liam from becoming a hero, since it ran in his blood. She wanted to keep his innocence for a few more years before showing him what the world was truly like. Theresa thought her life would always stay the same, and that she would marry, have children of her own, and raise them as well as her parents raised her.

Until her nightmares started that is.

Theresa never knew why, but she would have dreams of what would happen before it happened. Most of her nights were actually dreamless, since the only dreams she's had have always been important events that always came true. She dreamt of a bear attacking the village and killing old farmer Bill two nights before it happened. When she told her parents about the dream they dismissed it as just that, a dream. When a bear was seen prowling around farmer Bill's hut two days later her father went to kill it, followed by other men from the village. Only two men died killing the bear, and since old farmer Bill was not one of them her parents never made the connection.

But Theresa did. She realized that she could dream about things before they happened. Ever since then she would pay as much attention to her dreams as she could, in case she could prevent something drastic from happening again. Her dreams were rare and mostly harmless, ranging from a snake in the chicken coop to dreams of an ancient kingdom where magic was wielded by everyone. It didn't take her long to realize that those dreams were of the Old Kingdom. At first she was eager to explore those dreams, hoping that she would discover something no one else would. Eventually though she began to dread those dreams since they would always end the same; a large pointy building, a spire she believed it was called, would explode and annihilate everything. The explosion would always wake her up, at first screaming although that tapered off on time, and she wouldn't be able to sleep for the rest of the night. She never did tell her parents, afraid that they wouldn't take her seriously – or that they would. The dreams were impossible to hide from Liam since they shared a room. He thought her dreams were the coolest thing ever and constantly badgered her to use the dreams to help him solve the village's problems. She indulged him when she could since it made him happy. She thought her dreams were useful tools that would make her life easier.

Then she dreamt of bandits razing Oakvale to the ground.

The sight of the men, women and children she knew all her life being mercilessly cut down was too much for her young mind to handle, and when she woke up in a cold sweat, hyperventilating, she found that she could no longer remember what the dream was about, merely that it was a nightmare beyond any she had experienced before. Maybe if it hadn't been her birthday, and her family focused on celebrating it Theresa would have paid more attention to the contents of her dream. But she didn't.

So when her brother came to her with a box of chocolates at dusk at the copse near the graveyard she began to experience a strange sense of déjà vu, and fractured fragments of her dream began to seep through the barrier she had unconsciously created to protect herself. Sadly it was too late for either of them to escape what would happen, and once Theresa remembered more of her dream, and the terror that it caused her registered in her brain, the screaming had already begun.

The next few hours were nothing more than a hazy blur; she remembered pushing her brother within a hole in a large tree, a hiding spot that only one raised in Oakvale would know of. She rushed to her house to check on her family, confident that her parents would be safe and would protect them all. After all, that was what parents did wasn't it? She remembered running past the eviscerated corpses of people she had known all her life, their blood forming puddles so thick it would seep into her shoes as she ran past them. She ran, ignoring the flames that consumed entire people and houses and the explosions that destroyed everything she cared for. While that sight was enough to scar her, it was far from the worst that transpired that night; the sight and screams of women that could be seen from within their very homes, and at times in plain view of the streets, made Theresa even more determined to reach the safe haven of her home. She ran, ignoring the agony in her legs from pushing them so far, the burn in her lungs from the exertion, and the flames that threatened to burn the village down - and her alive. She ran, ignoring the villagers who cried out for help, for mercy, and the cruel mocking laughter of their assailants as their blades spilled the villager's guts onto the streets.

She ran, ignoring everything as her reality burned down around her, until she came onto the sight of a bandit with his trousers at his ankles, mercilessly thrusting into the body of little Billy. As what seemed to be every single moment that Theresa spent with four year old Billy flashed through her eyes, the sight of his decapitated head mere feet from his body made something within Theresa snap. She blacked out, felt _something_ unknown within her writhe in pain and hatred, and when she opened her eyes again the Bandit lay on the ground unmoving, his eyes melted and dripping from their sockets. Before the shock and mortification of having killed someone could register the screams coming from the village seemed to intensify, so she once again began to run.

Not for the first time she cursed that her parents had to build their house at the top of a hill. Her mother had once told her that it was a defensible location in case they were ever attacked, and considering that the broken and mangled bodies that began to appear here belonged to the bandits and not the villagers, she had to agree.

After what seemed to be an eternity of running Theresa's house came into view, and she felt a sliver of fear at the sight of it despite her earlier confidence; the corpses of even more bandits littered the ground here and the entire front of her house was caved in, as if an explosion had hit it. Theresa ran even faster, but before she could run inside the house to check on her family she felt something slam into her side.

As she lay on the ground, disoriented, she felt someone lift her from the ground and tightly bind her hands with rope. A hand roughly pulled her head back, and her eyes opened from the pain. What she then saw froze her heart in fear.

In front of her was her father on his knees, his face swollen and bleeding. Around the two of them stood a group of bandits, each sporting several wounds them. From the hole in the wall four more bandits dragged her mother from the house, each restraining a limb while she screamed and struggled.

The next few minutes were an agonizing blur for Theresa; first the bandits beat her father some more while her mother screamed at them, which caused the bandits to threaten to harm Theresa to shut her mother up. The next few minutes consisted of the bandits laughing and jeering about the attack, and thanking some man named "Jack" for making the attack occur smoothly. Nothing important happened until the arrival of said Jack.

He was a tall man, or at least that's what it seemed to Theresa, who walked with a confidence that bordered on arrogance. The armor he wore seemed to be a leather outfit with spiked metal pieces sewn on the chest, arms and stomach. On his chest two masks were sewn that covered the entire upper part of his chest. But the aspect that captured the attention of everyone who looked upon him was the blood red cloak wrapped around his head and shoulders, perfectly framed around the mask worn on his face. Said mask was bone white, with flames of purple and gold adorning each eye. No mouth was present, but instead four crosses stood where a mouth should be. The entire ensemble was meant to capture the attention from anyone who laid eyes upon it, and it worked perfectly. But it was the eyes that truly terrified Theresa. Whatever this creature was, its eyes revealed to Theresa that it wasn't human; they glowed an eerie red that shined even then, when the sun was above their heads. A cruel amusement could be seen smoldering within them as the creature strode through the town towards them and it witnessed the slaughter. When the creature finally gazed upon her Theresa had to look away, terrified of what she would see if she stared at its eyes.

Then the creature began to talk, beginning a discussion with her mother whose meaning was lost to Theresa about bloodlines. It wasn't until her mother began to scream and shout at the creature that Theresa opened her eyes, and to this day she wished she never did.

Because if she hadn't opened her eyes, she would never have seen the creature grab her father's head between its two hands and tear it from his shoulders.

Theresa couldn't remember much of what happened next, but her mother broke free from her captors and tackled the bandit holding Theresa. Then she began to fight all of the bandits simultaneously, and although she didn't say a word, Theresa knew what her mother wanted her to do.

So she ran.

She ran into the woods, only looking back once she reached the safety of the trees. The creature was looking at her, but instead of chasing after her it began walking towards her mother who had managed to take down half of the bandits. A feeling of dread rose up within Theresa then, and she ran away from the village, not willing to watch her mother die.

She ran without a sense of purpose, ignoring her exhaustion and the small wounds she suffered from running through the vegetation, driven by the desire to escape the slaughter. Eventually she could no longer hear the screams of the village, or smell the acrid stench of smoke. Vague memories of hunting with her father came unbidden to her, and she began to run in random directions instead of a straight line. She stamped down on any other memories, not allowing the emotions that came with them to bog her down.

As night descended Theresa could hear the gentle gurgle of water, and she became acutely aware of how thirsty she was. She rushed towards the sound in a mad fervor, and when she finally reached it she dove in without regard for her safety. Looking back, she really should have made sure that it wasn't a fast moving stream or that no dangerous animals were present, but she realized that she wasn't in a right state of mind at that moment. As soon as she reached the river she submerged her head in it and drank the cool water as if her life depended on it. Once she finished she laid down in the water and relaxed. After a while the memories of the day caught up to her, and she began to cry.

She cried for the slaughtered villagers, for the destruction of her home, that she killed someone, and most of all, that her family was dead. She was convinced that Liam was dead too, not willing to believe that he managed to survive. Her mother was probably captured, since the bandits didn't seem very keen on harming her like the other villagers. Eventually the stress became too much for her young mind and Theresa fell asleep in the river.

She wasn't sure how long she had lain there, but once she woke up night had already descended. Memories of hunting advice her father gave her surfaced to her mind, such as avoiding bodies of water at night since predators there gathered to hunt for prey. Prey after all, needed to drink water sometime. She also knew she needed to find somewhere warm, since she was soaked and the temperature lowered at night. She rose from the stream and headed towards the trees, determined to get to Bowerstone. Her father had taught her years ago how to reach both Oakvale and Bowerstone following Polaris, and she was glad she listened to those particular lessons. She planned on walking until she found signs of civilization, and hopefully finding a passing trader who could escort her the rest of the way.

If she hadn't been as tired as she was, she would have been more alert of her surroundings. She may have detected that some of the tree's shadows were strangely distorted. She may have heard the shuffling of feet, or the movement of cloth against tree as the men surrounding her rushed to hide as she woke up. But tired as she was, she failed to notice any of that. She also failed to notice the club that sailed towards her head until it was too late. A heavy pain to the back of her head was the only warning she had, and then she fell into blissful unconscious.

* * *

Most people believe that being unconscious is like being asleep, where one notices the passage of time, albeit muted and distorted. In reality, being unconscious is nothing like that. From the moment you enter unconsciousness to the moment you awaken is as fast as the blink of an eye. One has no recollection of ever having fallen unconscious, it happens without warning, and one never notices the exact moment it happened. It is one of the most disorienting events that can happen to a person, since all semblance of control is removed.

That was the state that Theresa had awoken to, and the pounding headache she had made getting her bearings much harder. She tried to open her eyes, but the moment she did she happened to stare into the bright flare of a nearby candle, which temporarily blinded her and also worsened he headache.

Then she felt a breeze blow across her bare skin, and began to panic.

A few brief touches told her that she was without a single article of clothing, even her undergarments. She began to think of what she last remembered and tried to discern how she arrived there, wherever there was, but failed to come up with anything. She remembered coming out of the lake, entering the forest, a pain in the back of her head, and then she woke up here.

Now, Theresa was far from stupid, and she knew that pain to the back of the head didn't occur without a cause. Her parents had warned her never to wander far or alone due to the danger of a kidnapping. It didn't take Theresa long to figure out that was exactly what happened, and she immediately began to panic. She got up, jumped down from the table she was on, which was barley bigger than her, and began to look around.

She was inside a hut she had never been in, with the only furniture present being the table she was previously on and a few cupboards. A door and a window were both present in the room, but the window was both closed and too high to reach, and Theresa doubted she had the strength needed to move any of the objects in the room to reach it. Not without causing a lot of noise and alerting her captors.

That left the door as her only option, something Theresa was less than pleased about. She tiptoed towards the door as quietly as she could, and then put her ear to the slight crack present. Thankfully she couldn't hear a single sound, so she opened the door and stepped out.

Wherever this hut was, it was far from large; other than a sofa, a larger table and more cupboards no other furniture was present in the room. There were no hallways or other rooms that she could see, but a door and a window that showed it lead outside were present. Thankfully this door was one that swung open with a push, and not one of the doors that had a lock as was becoming increasingly popular. Theresa took a deep breath, steeled herself, and ran towards the door.

Only to make it a few steps outside before she ran full throttle into someone else, which caused her to fall on her ass.

"Well lookie here," a voice said, "seems our little rabbit is trying to run away." She opened her eyes only to see a large hand reaching towards her, which lifted her into the air by her hair.

What happened next Theresa could barely remember to this day, something that she was immensely glad about. Irene and Dio had explained to her that people's minds often block out traumatic memories to protect them, which was the reason she couldn't remember much of what happened. It also explained why she found it hard to recall much of the massacre of her home.

But some events of what happened still lingered, and they haunted her dreams to this day. She remembered that the man who grabbed her called over his companions, and then she was roughly dragged back into the house. She tried to fight back, but they laughed at her and then struck her. The first blow to her gut knocked the wind out of her, and as she lay gasping for air the men took her to the room she woke up in and threw her on the table.

She knew what was about to happen yet she couldn't even beg them to spare her, still not able to breathe properly. They each restrained a limb, and Theresa shut her eyes tight in fear.

And as she was thrust into, Theresa experienced pain beyond any she had known before. Screams erupted unbidden from her mouth, but that only amused her captors if the mocking laughter was any indication. She screamed herself until her throat was raw and tried to stop, but each thrust brought a fresh wave of agony which elicited another scream.

After what felt like an eternity her tormentor finally finished, and once he pulled out Theresa thought it was all over. She felt misery and disgust well up within her as she felt the seed churn inside her. Then she felt despair when she opened her eyes and noticed that instead of leaving, her captors were merely switching positions. As the abuse began again, so did her screams.

She begged for mercy, she screamed in rage, she threatened to kill them, yet nothing she did would stop them. Instead, her futile attempts at resistance seemed to spur them on. The rest of the night continued in that fashion, each of the men taking their turn with her.

After a few hours Theresa no longer had the energy necessary to even scream, something that greatly displeased her captors. So they decided to cut her. They carved her eyes out, sliced across her entire body, all the while making sure no cut was too deep. The last thing they wanted was for their toy to die before they had their fun. The fresh agony brought her out of her catatonic state, and her tormentors continued with a newfound fervor. Even the small mercy of falling unconscious was denied from her, as the agony from her defilement kept her wide awake.

Eventually, hours later, she stopped resisting completely. She finally gave up, resigned to her fate, and nothing the men did would elicit a response from her. Unsatisfied, they gave up then and left her alone, and she quickly passed out. Hours later she woke up alone, but she was in far too much pain to even move, and she lacked the will to escape. She hoped they would kill her, as that at least would end her suffering. Yet her hopes were unanswered as one of her tormentors came into the room and smiled as he saw she was awake. A small whimper escaped her as he walked towards her, but before the torment could commence anew they heard screams come from outside the hut.

Her captor scooped her up and carried her outside with him towards where the screams came from. She heard voices but paid no attention to them. She fell to the ground as her captor released her, which caused her wounds to flare up again. As she laid on the ground she heard fighting, and a small part of her entertained the notion that someone was here to save her. That belief was quickly squashed as she heard footsteps approaching her, thoughts of her torment rising to the forefront of her mind.

"Hey there" a voice said softly, "I'm not here to hurt you. My name is Dio; I'm with the Heroes guild. The five men who had you are dead, I killed them all."

A vindictive part of her felt glad that they died, but fear was the dominant emotion within her at that moment. If this man was strong enough to kill all five of her captors, then who was to say he wouldn't hurt her also? As time passed and he neither touched her nor said a word, a small flicker of hope emerged within her.

"Are…are you going to hurt me?"

"Not at all, I'm here to help you if you'll allow me to. I can take away the pain, and I have food and water."

Now that certainly caught her attention. He could have been lying of course, but what was the point? He had killed the only people who knew she was there, and she was completely at his mercy. If he wanted to harm her he would have. But that had only been five men. They were likely the same bandits that attacked her village, having somehow tracked her. There were certainly more than five bandits at the village, any of which could appear at any moment. She asked as much to her savior, but he assured her that he had killed them all.

She didn't doubt him, and she felt a relieved that the bandits were dead. Yet she also felt angry. If he was powerful enough to kill the bandits, why wasn't he there earlier? Why didn't the Guild know of the bandit attack earlier and respond? Wasn't that their purpose, to protect others? Why did this man only arrive after everyone was slaughtered, after she was raped and tortured? She couldn't control her rage, and that combined with the stress, fear and pain from the recent events caused her to lash out at the only person she could.

That he didn't even defend himself angered her, but the warning he gave that more bandits could arrive quickly froze over her anger. He offered to take her away, and realizing that she wouldn't get very far in her current state, Theresa agreed. She felt a shiver course through her when the man touched her, but he merely hoisted her on his back and carried her away.

They traveled in silence, the man seemingly not willing to talk, and Theresa having no desire to. After some time walking the man set her down, and Theresa began to panic as she feared he had lied to her. Yet he assured her that he wouldn't harm her, and only wanted to heal her. Theresa agreed to the treatment, having no desire to die now that a chance for her survival had presented itself. She knew she had made the right decision once the bandages wrapped around her eliminated most of the pain away, subsiding from a sharp sting to a dull throb. She flinched whenever he touched her, but he was exceedingly gentle and careful in his movements. He at least seemed genuine in his attempts to help her which helped calm Theresa down immensely. Something about his presence calmed her down, but she wasn't sure what it was.

He then presented her with choices about what they would do, which surprised Theresa; she hadn't given a single thought about what she could do now. Sure, her goal was to reach Bowerstone, but what then? Who would take in a dirty orphan girl from the country? She had no skills to ply a trade with, and no money to live off of. Her only options would be an orphanage or a whorehouse, and she was sure that even if she opted with the former there was a good chance she would end up in the latter. Yet in the brief moment they had known each other Dio had already considered each of those plans, and even offered new ones of his own. She mulled over the options available to her, but really only one of them sounded mildly appealing.

That he would offer to raise her was shocking, and also extremely suspicious. She had to remind herself that if he wanted her for some nefarious need he would simply force her instead of allowing her to choose. He did give her the option to live by herself, and as appealing as that sounded she knew it wouldn't work out; without her eyes, how would she take care of herself? How would she acquire and prepare food? She suspected that even if she went with that route Dio would still help her. So she decided to go with him for now, since that resented the least amount of risk.

Besides, he could do nothing worse to her than she had already endured, and she could always run away if she wanted to. That, and after helping her so much he deserved some amount of trust didn't he?

She took that back, this bastard deserved to be thrown into the deepest pit of the void. When Dio had offered to teleport the both of them to the Heroes guild he failed to warn her of how disorienting it felt, which caused her to vomit the food Dio had given her earlier. The ass knew that would happen, and she could practically feel the amusement rolling off of him in waves.

Dio carried her up a tower where he spoke to someone who seemed to be his boss. While the conversation was about her, Theresa couldn't hold off the weariness that threatened to overcome her, and as she slipped into sleep she couldn't help but think of how unfair it was that now that she was finally at the Heroes guild, which had been a dream of hers her entire life, she wouldn't be able to actually see what it was like.

She really should have expected that her dreams would be filled with blood and death after what had happened, but she hadn't. Not only had she re-witnessed most of the slaughter, but the dream had taken a nightmarish quality. What before were human bandits who slaughtered the villagers were now grotesque creatures that fed on their flesh. She ran towards the house but each step only seemed to carry her further away instead of closer. Then the scenery blurred and she dreamt of her time in the hut, but now the same creatures had returned. Yet instead of raping her they now ripped her flesh open, and Theresa watched as they scooped her organs out and slurped them into their gaping maws.

And above that scene, where the roof of the hut was missing and the moon was clearly visible, floated the mask of that _thing._ And after the creatures had ripped out everything inside of Theresa, the mask began to rush at her.

Just before it hit she woke up, screaming.

As she thrashed she felt someone hold her arms down, and her first thought was that everything that had happened yesterday was a dream, and that she was still at the hut, so she screamed even louder. When the person holding her down released one of her arms to cover her mouth she attacked him, doing whatever she could to make him release her. She didn't stop until he yelled at her that he was Dio, and she slowly began to calm down. That didn't last long before she began to cry, and she threw herself at Dio and sobbed in his arms.

'It feels a lot like when dad held me,' a small part of her said. She wasn't sure why she told him what she dreamt about after he asked, but it made her feel much better.

After that embarrassing debacle was over Dio took her to a healer's tent, where a stern lady took guided them to an empty room. She nearly had another panic attack when the lady asked Dio to leave, but she felt relieved when he said he would stay. He had already seen her naked after all and he didn't do anything to her then, so she didn't mind too much being naked around him just this once. She felt worried once the lady asked Dio to leave, and even though Dio assured her it wasn't her fault she knew she was at least the cause of it. At least when they returned they weren't arguing; while they may have thought they were discreet, but Theresa could hear almost every word between them. Theresa thought it annoying that the lady would accuse Dio of harming her; she wouldn't be stupid enough to stay with someone who harmed her.

She felt a shiver crawl up her spine once she took her clothes off, and she could feel their eyes examining her wounds. A small part of her was glad that she couldn't see the extent of the damage done to her body. The process of healing her didn't take long, but it was certainly uncomfortable; the feeling of her flesh shifting and squirming to repair itself was one Theresa had no desire to feel again.

She couldn't help but feel disappointed that nothing could be done for her eyes, even if she suspected they were beyond healing.

Then that glimmer of hope was reignited when Dio said that not only did she carry Hero blood within her, but that he also believed he had a way to restore her sight. She had no reason to doubt his words, since it stood to reason that members of the Hero's' Guild had some way to identify which individuals carried Hero's' blood within them. While she was disappointed that he had no clue on how to restore her sight, he did promise to help her.

It would have to do.

After being fed she took another nap and after waking up met someone who had changed her life almost as much as Dio did.

From the moment she met Irene Theresa knew that they would get along fabulously. Irene was like the older sister she never had, always having the solution to her problems, or at least willing to help her find one. The magical connection that allowed them to share thoughts brought a new depth to their conversations, since emotions were also transmitted. And being able to talk with someone without anyone else hearing was also nice. That same connection was also the inception of her journey to gaining power and, eventually, revenge.

But that would be far in the future. For now, she would wait.

From her connection with Irene emerged her Will powers. Technically they had always been within her, but she never had a reason to draw upon them before that day. It felt like suddenly discovering an entirely new muscle, one that both dwelled within her and outside of her. She couldn't not see or touch it, but was constantly aware of it, like a buzz at the back of her mind. Irene told her to envision mana like a pool of water, one that emptied as she used it. Maintaining her connection with Irene would siphon most of her energy, and after a few hours the pool was emptied. Physically she felt fine, but her mind felt slow, and she felt hollow inside. Discovering a new source of power was disorienting to say the least, but after a few months she became so accustomed to the new energy that using it felt as natural as breathing.

Dio had likened mana to an eager dog, and she could see the resemblance. Energy was meant to be used, and while a body naturally burnt through energy merely by existing, it had no way of doing the same with mana. Similarly to when she was fully rested, when she had a full mana pool she was more alert, more aware, and thinking came easier to her. It would be months before she came to the realization that merely using mana passively enhanced her mental faculties, and she began to wonder else magic could enhance.

Living with Dio in Emdor was much like living in Oakvale was; people would wake up and prepare for a day of hard labor, from cutting wood to tilling the fields, then they would go home and relax for the final hours of the day, and then the day would end. Then the cycle would begin the next day, and if most of these people would have their way, it would continue for an eternity. None of them could conceive that the monotony of their lives could ever end. Once Theresa thought the same as them.

Now however, their very existence sickened her. Sure, she was civil with them since they had always been the same with her, but she never approached them if she didn't have to. To her these people behaved like brain dead sheep, going through the same machinations day after day until they died, never achieving anything useful with their lives. None of these people would ever achieve anything useful, nor rise above their lot in life. None of them could help her get her revenge of the bandits that slaughtered her family.

None of them were like Dio.

The first seven months that she lived with him and Irene were extremely difficult. Sure, Dio tried to be accommodating, but it quickly became evident that he had no experiencing in caring for a child. His house was a massive two story building with many rooms, enough that Theresa could finally have one for herself, a notion that was very appealing to the young girl.

A notion that was shattered on her very first night.

When she lay down to sleep and finally had a moments reprieve from the whirlwind of activities that her life had become, she cried.

Once more she cried that everyone she cared for had died, that her life had been ripped apart, and for all that she was forced to endure.

And she hated every second of it. She hated how weak she was, and she hated that she was still weak enough to cry. She was determined to grow stronger, stronger than everyone, strong enough never to be taken advantage enough again. She knew it would be a long journey and she was determined to leave her weakness behind.

When her nightmares began again she refused to ask Dio for help, determined to resolve that issue herself. What kind of power would she ever possess if she allowed mere dreams to stop her? But no matter what she did each night ended the same; her crying herself to sleep in Dio's arms. After a week Irene had had enough. She stormed into her room fully intending to complain that she couldn't get her beauty sleep if Theresa kept waking her up. Yet the sight of how utterly miserable Theresa looked halted her complaints in her throat, and she tried to comfort her instead. Theresa's admission of being uncomfortable of sleeping by herself gave the both of them an idea, and Irene's assurance that Dio would not mind gave her the courage she needed to ask.

Irene, as always, was right. Dio allowed her to sleep with him, and for the first time in a week she was able to get a full night's sleep. She wasn't sure if it was because she needed someone to sleep with after years of sleeping next to her brother or if it was because it was Dio, but sleeping next to him calmed her down. The next day she tried to sleep by herself again, but eventually had to ask Dio to let her sleep with him again. The next few days followed the same pattern until Dio snapped and told her to just sleep in his room from the beginning. She felt relieved he was the one to say it, since she was too embarrassed to say it herself. Soon the nightmares stopped, which further convinced Theresa that Dio could solve all of her problems.

That presented its own set of problems. She wanted to be held by someone, to be told that everything would be okay. Not only did Dio not seem like the type of person to do that, Theresa was afraid of asking him to. She was afraid that if she asked for too much, if she became a burden, that he would abandon her. And she wasn't sure if she could handle that. Despite the short amount of time that they had known each other, Dio had become extremely important to Theresa. Not only had he saved her, but he cared for her almost as well as her parents had done. And not once had he asked anything from her. Her parents had always taught her not to be selfish, and after everything Dio had done for her how could she ask for more?

The first few months were difficult for Theresa due to her lack of eyesight. Not only did she bump into things constantly, but she couldn't even begin to train. What kind of Hero tripped over a rock while swinging over a sword, and then trip and hit their head on an even bigger rock? It was humiliating and extremely frustrating. Her only saving grace was that Irene and Dio worked furiously to discover a way for her to see, and that her constant use of mana had increased her reserves to the point that she could maintain a mental connection with Irene and Dio at the same time.

Said connection granted her a greater insight into each of their characters. Irene's mind felt strange, and often times Theresa was unable to understand how her mind worked. She expected that however, considering that Irene was a different species from her. Irene would always be kind to her and always knew what to say to lift her spirits. It was the complete opposite to how she treated Dio, since those two would constantly be at each other's throats.

Dio on the other hand was the strangest person she had ever met. From the first moment the two had met Dio had always been respectful towards Theresa, to the point that it began to annoy her. After spending months together she barely knew anything about her savior, who continued to treat her as if she was a fragile doll. He seemed to tread on eggshells around her, as if he was afraid of spooking her.

It annoyed her. If the person closest to her treated her as if she was broken, how would others treat her? What kind of respect could she ever get that way? After all he had done for her she wanted to at least become his friend, but he was adamant on being distant with her. Did he just keep her around out of pity and a sense of duty? That thought was more painful that she realized. Eventually she confided how she felt with Irene, who explained why he acted that way. The knowledge that Dio had lost his only friends only made Theresa more determined to help him out any way she could.

It was the least she could do for him after everything he had done for her.

After becoming comfortable living in the village Theresa asked her two caretakers to help her train. At first they were hesitant due to her lack of eyesight, but her constant begging eventually overcame their reservations.

She regretted asking them immediately. The both of them had to be demons in disguise.

They made her do laps around the entire village, claiming that endurance was the cornerstone of training, and that it would eventually save her life.

While she was sure that was true, Theresa believed the two of them just enjoyed seeing her suffer. The weights that they later added only served to boost her suspicions, and it was the final straw for her. The threat of reduced meat quickly shut her up though, though she had a suspicion that Dio was waiting to use that argument on her. He derived entirely too much pleasure from it. The fact that she could feel their amusement through the link they shared only reinforced her beliefs. She never complained though since not only did one of the two always accompany her in case she needed help, but what they said did hold some merit.

If she had trained years ago, she may never have been caught after she ran from Oakvale.

That was what her life consisted of for the first few months: running to train her endurance, and building up her mana pool. The rest of her time was spent maintaining a semblance of normality in her life. Living with Irene and Dio provided her with a larger degree of freedom than living with her parents did. Neither of them cared what she did as long as she stayed safe. While she wouldn't say she was happy she could admit that her life could have been a lot worse. She at least had a roof over her head, hot meals to fill her belly, and the promise of a powerful fighter to train her.

Living with Dio did have its share of drawbacks though. For one, the man was far too clever for his own good. At first Theresa was able to hide her monthly bleedings like her mother had shown her to, and she believed she was doing a good enough job of it. That all blew up in her face when he decided to confront her about why she had to sneak around. She had never been more embarrassed in her life, and his admittance that even young boys knew of a woman's monthly troubles where he came from only made it worse. Theresa had been taught her entire life to hide that from men in order to maintain her 'womanly mystique.' Her mother and countless other women managed to hide that issue from their husbands through techniques developed over decades and passed down from mother to daughter. Then Dio came along and promptly wiped his ass over decades of tradition, and didn't even have the decency to understand what he did wrong!

At least Irene tore him a new one, going off on a spiel about "shaming a young maiden' or some such. Theresa personally believed Irene also had no clue about that Dio did wrong but merely wanted a reason to argue with him.

They had a complicated relationship.

Despite her misgivings Theresa did her best not to complain about her situation. Irene and Dio provided her with everything she needed and did not ask for much. She knew that her situation could have been much worse without them, and she would try her hardest to stay in their good graces.

She would _not_ be taken advantage of again.

After spending months without the gift of sight most people would rejoice at having the gift returned to them.

Theresa on the other hand, could only complain that the only version of sight that Irene and Dio could come up with gave her major migraines.

After spending a decade only processing the information that Theresa could see with her eyes her brain now had to decode and compartmentalize everything that her new vision 'saw' at once.

And she meant everything.

While most people and animals were limited only to what they could see, this ability provided the user a way to noticed every single thing in their field of vision all at once.

Her first time in a forest was almost crippling.

Every falling leaf, every crawling bug, every blade of grass swaying in the wind, her mind was aware of each of these things. Every. Single. Second. She no longer had to worry about blind spots, after images, or not noticing something. Because now she noticed _everything_ in her field of vision, and all at once.

Irene called it a sensory overload. Theresa preferred to call it one more way life had decided to screw her over.

Despite her reservations the ability _did_ provide her with a form of sight, even if it was a bastardized version if it, so she withheld her complains. For the most part.

Dio was quick to point out the advantages her new form of vision could provide her in the field of battle. No one could ever sneak up on her nor could anyone attack her from behind without her noticing. There were only two drawbacks her vision would present in a fight.

First, she had no way of noticing anything that happened outside of her range, which at that moment only encompassed a mere 25 meters. If an enemy shot an arrow or spell at her she wouldn't notice it until it entered her range, and by then it would be too late. To cheer her up Irene pointed out that even with normal vision it's hard to notice the actions of ranged combatants, and at least this ability would give her a moment's notice no matter which direction she was attacked from. As long as Theresa learned how to create barriers ranged combatants could be handled, at least to a point.

The second drawback is the lack of details her vision provided. While she could make out the general shape of an object, she was unable to see any adorning's it contained. She could see a book, she could even see and interact with its separate pages, but she was unable to see any words written on them. She could however notice carvings, since her mana would fill in the recess' that defined a carving.

More importantly, she was unable to make out a person's face with much detail. How would she ever differentiate between people if they all looked like blobs? How would she be able to tell an ally from an enemy in the midst of battle? This wasn't much of a problem with people she knew for a long time such as Irene and Dio since she became familiar with what they looked like. But meeting new people would become a problem since she had no way of identifying them aside from their voice. The three speculated that that particular flaw would resolve itself with time and familiarity with the ability, but they were unsure. Only time would tell.

The one thing that Theresa loved about her new sight more than anything was the fact that she could now learn to fight, something that she quickly decided she would bug Irene and Dio about until they allowed her to train. To compensate for her flaws she would burn through every Iota of mana she had each day, and in two mere weeks results began to show. Her range of sight had doubled, and she could see just a bit more detail than before.

Yet before she could the both of them approached her and explained that they would be leaving. They explained that there were dimensions apart from the one that lived in, and that the two of them would be leaving to one. Irene did explain how it was nothing to fear, and told her a few stories of her home in Avalon. It explained why Fairies were so hard to find; most of them lived in a different dimension.

Despite that, Theresa was ill at ease. Despite what had happened to her, Albion was her home. Not once in her life had the thought of leaving Albion entered her mind, and now she had no choice but to leave. Oh, Irene and Dio had definitely given her the choice to stay, but why would she? She had no friends or relatives still alive, so her only options would be to go with the two of them, or go to the guild. If Irene and Dio left she would be alone with again, a though that was almost too painful to bear.

Then Dio told her she would have a chance at learning new powers that sealed the deal for her. That, and the knowledge that she would be able to return to Albion one day. She would not only experience a whole new world and develop new powers, but she would still have a chance for revenge.

She was a little disappointed that she had to be asleep for the trip, but that was quickly overshadowed by the awe she felt when Dio told them stories of the world they would be going to. The magic that he told them about sounded like something from a story, and she wasn't sure if even the Archons from the Old Kingdom would be able to replicate them. She had reservations about a god of chaos being the ones to transfer them, since when had Chaos represented anything other than evil and misfortune, but Dio's assurances that he could be trusted were good enough for her.

She was so excited that she never noticed when said being emerged from the shadows and put her to sleep.

 **AN:**

 **That's a wrap. I apologize how long this took to write, and hope I'm able to write the next few chapters much quicker. I had to go back and read some of my earlier chapters to make sure events stayed the same, which also took some time. Next chapter will cover the HP events and begin the group's time at Hogwarts. I've decided which house Theresa will be in, and I'll let you all wonder which that is. I will also reveal how exactly Dio will be involved in Hogwarts, but it really isn't hard to figure that out.**


End file.
